A Cat's Promise
by moeichi
Summary: When Marinette was eight, she saved the life of Paris's top wanted criminal Chat Noir. He promised he would protect her if she ever got into trouble. Ten years later, Marinette is a budding fashion designer hoping to land her dream job when she gets kidnapped by the evil villain, Hawk Moth. Can Chat Noir keep his promise before it's too late? AU Marichat.
1. Chapter 1

Eight-year-old Marinette Dupain-Cheng woke with a start in the middle of the night.

The wind howled outside, and rain pounded against the windows of her small but cozy attic bedroom. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and glanced at the alarm clock that sat on her desk. The bright red numbers read _12:13 AM_. She sat still for a moment, wondering why she had woken up, then jumped out of bed when she remembered the reason - it was because she had heard a loud thump come from downstairs. It couldn't have been her parents - they were heavy sleepers and usually didn't wake up until morning. So what could that noise have been?

A small voice in the back of her head protested that she should be a good girl and stay put. Who knew what had happened down there? What if someone had broken in? What if... what if it was _Chat Noir_? She shuddered, just thinking about him. Chat Noir, a mysterious young man donned in a black suit that paid homage to his name, was a thief and Paris's number one wanted criminal who worked alone to cause havoc on the city. Just that evening, she had heard on the news how he had been involved in a street fight and had gotten away with it. And right now, he could be anywhere.

But she couldn't help but be curious. And besides, what were the odds of him ever stealing from her family's tiny bakery, right? It wasn't like her family had a lot of money. They made enough to get by, but they weren't rich. They definitely weren't the type of people a thief like Chat Noir would be interested in. She snorted. Yeah, like he would ever show up here. Making up her mind, she took a deep breath and tiptoed to the door. She pushed it open as gently as she could, then sneaked down the two flights of stairs that led to the bakery, also known as the Tom and Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie, on the first floor. She held her breath as she unlocked the door, careful not to make even a single noise.

The familiar bakery, complete with a few round tables and a large glass display counter, was completely dark, and the silence that greeted her made the room feel almost eerie. With a trembling hand, she switched on the flashlight she'd grabbed from her desk and shone it around the room. Everything looked normal, as though her parents had just cleaned up for the day and had left to go upstairs not even a minute ago. Just as how it should be.

She was about to give up and turn back - telling herself how ridiculous she was to even expect that there was anything there - when her gaze fell on a body collapsed on the floor by the front door. She froze, her mind whirling as she debated on what she should do.

When she saw that he wasn't moving, she inched closer, shining the light in the person's face to inspect them. In the dark, she couldn't quite tell whether they were a man or woman, only that they had a rather thin but strong build. But as she got a better look, she almost dropped the flashlight in terror as she took in his dark suite and messy blond hair. She could recognize that outfit anywhere.

Her blood ran cold.

It was Chat Noir.

She opened her mouth to scream, but quickly thought better of it. If she screamed, he could wake up. But if she backed away now, he wouldn't even notice her...

That was when she became aware of the sharp tang of blood mixed with the usually sweet aroma of the bakery. Her stomach churned. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

She peered closer at him, gasping when she saw that blood was pouring out from a nasty wound close to his stomach. She couldn't see his expression behind the black mask, but if she could, she knew it must be twisted in pain. Feeling brave, she took a step closer to him.

Chat Noir lifted his head when he heard her approach him. His pained eyes made her stop dead in her tracks. "Who's there?" He growled, still sounding intimidating despite the pain from his injuries. He whipped his head around to study his surroundings, stopping when he spotted Marinette lingering by the corner. "You...you're a girl," he muttered awkwardly. Was she imagining it, or did his voice soften just a little when he noticed her?

"I'm a girl. How wonderful for you to notice," Marinette said dryly.

His piercing green eyes narrowed into slits as he studied her. But Marinette wasn't scared. Maybe it was because he was hurt, or maybe it was because she was curious about him. She lifted her chin defiantly and gazed back at him.

Finally, after a few painful moments, he broke the silence and took a ragged breath. "I'm not going to hurt you, little girl. I...can you let me stay here just for a few minutes? I won't bother you at all. Just a few minutes, then I'll be on my way. It'll be like we had never met."

Marinette hesitated. She knew that the sensible thing to do would be to call the police, and then they can finally capture Chat Noir and lock him behind bars. But if he got locked away, she would never get a chance to talk to him. She didn't know why, but she didn't want that.

"Are you bad?" She blurted, unable to stop herself. Everyone said he was dangerous. Even her teachers at school had taught her to be wary of criminals, and not to go out after dark in case Chat Noir attacked them. But meeting him tonight, he didn't seem as bad as the tabloids painted him out to be. And he appeared only a few years older than her - was he fifteen? Sixteen? She wondered what brought him down this path.

He remained silent, as though he was deciding how to answer her question. Then he shrugged, wincing as he did so. "I'm as worse as they get," he let out a humorless laugh. His hand tightened into a fist, the claw-like knives attached to his gloves gleaming under the dim light. "I'm a criminal, little girl. Haven't your parents taught you to stay away from bad guys like me?"

She took a step forward. "But you didn't hurt me," she pointed out. She knew he could've killed her if he wanted to - there had been so many chances that he could've taken - yet he hadn't. That had to be saying something, right? "I don't think you're bad. And I'm not a little girl," she pouted, making a face at him. She wasn't a little girl anymore. She had just turned eight. Her parents had thrown her the best birthday party and had baked her a cake so huge that even the Mayor's daughter, Chloe Bourgeois, would have been jealous of.

Chat Noir barked out a laugh. Marinette decided that he was much less scary when he was smiling. "That's what you're worried about, eh? Well, what if I call you little lady?"

She shot him her best glare. "I have a name, you know. It's Marinette. And I'm going to help you. So wait right there." Her Maman had always taught her to be kind to others, and she was going to help him even if it was the last thing she did. She didn't want to see him, to see anyone, get hurt.

He closed his eyes and let out a tired sigh. "I'm not going anywhere, little lady." He added, just to rub it in. She stuck her tongue out at him before she hurried back to her room to find her sewing kit.

Marinette had always held a love for fashion. Her favorite hobby was sketching designs of pretty dresses and cute outfits in her sketchbook. Her mother had gotten her a sewing kit for her birthday, and she absolutely loved using it to make her designs come to life. But she wasn't planning to use it to make a dress now. She recalled an incident her parents had had in the kitchen last year when her father had cut his hand in the bakery. Her mother had used thread to stitch his wound together...perhaps that was what she had to do help Chat Noir.

She grabbed the kit and headed to the bathroom to find her towel. Marinette had always been known to be super clumsy, constantly getting hurt one way or another, and her mother had always cleaned her injuries with a wet towel before treating it. She was glad she had that knowledge now. She took the towel, red and black with ladybugs flying across, and soaked it in water before she practically flew down the stairs in her haste to return to the bakery. She stopped by the door, panting, and let out a sigh of relief when she saw that he was still there, just as he had promised.

"You're still here," she echoed her thoughts out loud.

He turned toward her at the sound of her voice. "Told ya I'd still be here. Chat Noir never goes back on his word." His voice sounded strained. Marinette guessed that he had lost a lot of blood. She didn't need to be a doctor to know that that wasn't good.

"How did you get hurt?" she couldn't help asking as she walked closer to him, clutching her sewing kit to her chest.

He grunted, watching her warily as he tried to figure out what she was going to do. "That doesn't concern you."

"It does concern me when you're here, bleeding, inside _my_ house. How did you even get in here anyway?" she retorted. She didn't know how to take the fact that Chat Noir, Paris's most wanted criminal, had decided to break into her house just so he could get some rest while he was injured.

"I...I broke in? Your house's security system isn't the best. Tell your parents to get a better lock." he advised with a smirk. His expression darkened as he continued, "But take my word, little lady. There are some things in this world that you're better off not knowing."

"Oh," Marinette mumbled reluctantly. She wasn't ready to give up, but she knew they had more serious matters to deal with. "Anyway, I'm going to help you. Can you take off your clothes?"

He raised an eyebrow questioningly. "What are you going to do?"

"You lost a lot of blood, right? I'm going to stitch your wound up," she said proudly. She didn't dare tell him that she had never stitched a wound before, but she had to try.

"Do you even know how to sew?" he asked skeptically.

"I love to design and make clothes, of course I would know how to sew!" Marinette said indignantly.

He hesitated, then unzipped his suit and slipped it off. "Well, it's worth a shot, I suppose" he muttered, more to himself than to her.

Marinette's breath caught as she stared at the wound. She had predicted that it would be bad, but she hadn't realized just how deep and awful it was. She gulped. What if she messed up and made things even worse?

She almost jumped when Chat Noir leaned closer to her and caught her hand in his. She hadn't noticed how hard her hand was shaking until he took it in his own. "It's okay, little lady. You don't have to do this. I've rested enough. I'll just be on my way - "

"No!" she protested. He was clearly treating her like a child, but she was already eight years old. She wasn't a child anymore. "Let me help you!" Determined, she took a deep breath. She gently placed the towel over the wound to clean off the blood - it was instantly soaked - before setting it onto the table next to her and getting to work. Her hand dug through the sewing kit, her eyes lighting up when she located the spool of thread. But then she frowned. How much thread would she need to stitch up the wound?

Marinette thought back to when her mother had helped her father fix his wound. She had cut quite a long piece. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to use a longer piece of string, just in case. Making up her mind, she cut the appropriate length of string and expertly thread the tip through the needle's eye. She was painfully aware of Chat Noir's eyes following her every move. She quickly secured the thread and knelt down next to him, her hand hovering over the wound as she tried to figure out where to start. She hesitated. She didn't want to hurt him further by piercing his skin with the needle.

"It's okay," Chat Noir said quietly. He covered her hand with his own and guided her hand to the tip of the long gash. Marinette's heart thudded as she struggled to push the needle in. Even with his help, it was definitely a lot harder than she thought. He gritted his teeth as the point of the needle came in contact with his flesh, making Marinette stop and stare at him with wide bluebell eyes. What if she had hurt him? "I'm okay," he repeated, dismissing her concern. "Go on."

Now that she had gotten the hang of it, Marinette began working her way along the wound, carefully stitching it close with the thread. She let out the breath she had been holding once she reached the end and tied the string off with a double knot. Just in case.

"Nice work, little lady," Chat Noir praised, a real smile dancing on the edge of his lips. He gingerly touched the wound with his hand. "I feel much better thanks to you."

She grinned, revealing the tooth she had just lost a few days ago. "I told you I'm good at sewing."

"Well, what do ya know. I suppose you are. Maybe one day I'll get to wear the clothes that you'll design." He slipped his suit back on and pushed himself up. He staggered a little as he stood, still weak from the loss of blood, but leaned against the counter to help support his weight.

She felt warmed by his praise. It was then that she knew that she would become a fashion designer when she grew up no matter what it took, just so he could wear the clothes that she would design one day.

"Are you leaving now?" she asked, watching him curiously.

He nodded. "I said I wouldn't stay long. I don't want to trouble you any further. Besides, I am a thief. I shouldn't just be hanging out with a little lady like yourself, right?"

She knew he had a point, but she didn't want him to leave. Not yet. There were so many questions she still wanted to ask. But now she may never get that chance...

"Wait!" she said as an idea flashed in her mind. She headed to the back of the kitchen for the tray of leftover macarons that she knew would still be laid out in the fridge. She took the tray and brought it back out, holding it up for Chat Noir. "Here, have some. They're leftovers from the day so they could be a little stale, but that's all we have right now. Maman always said that sweets make you feel better."

"Well, then, I suppose I will," Chat Noir said, looking at them thoughtfully.

"Oh! The top ones are vanilla, that one's strawberry, and this one is passion fruit," Marinette said quickly when she saw that he was hesitating. He picked the passion fruit one - _his favorite flavor is passion fruit_, Marinette noted in the back of her mind - and popped it into his mouth, relishing in its taste. "Mmm. Delicious."

Marinette beamed at him, feeling proud at the thought that Chat Noir liked their macarons. He paused, as though he was debating something, then took off the ring that he wore on his middle finger. "Thank you. I owe you one, little lady. I...I want you to have this."

He placed the ring in her outstretched hands. Marinette gasped as she studied the ring that now sat in her palm. It was black with a green paw print design in the center. To her, it was beautiful.

"This is my symbol," he explained. "Other criminals wouldn't dare touch you when you're under my protection. And if you ever get in trouble...just call for me. I'll be there." He fumbled through his pockets for a few moments, then made a noise of satisfaction as he found a receipt in his back pocket and scribbled down a number on it. He pressed it into her hand.

"Promise?" Marinette asked, wrapping her hands around the tiny piece of paper as though it was the most precious thing in the world. She held up her pinky to him.

"Thieves' code. Chat Noir never breaks his word," he reassured her, taking his own pinky and hooking it through hers. He leaned down and kissed her on the top of her head. "And who knows? Maybe I'll call you by your name next time when we meet." He winked and gave her a wave, and then he was gone.

Marinette stared after him, feeling giddy at the thought that she would see him again one day. She tried to put on the ring, but gave up when she realized that it was too big for her small fingers. Maybe she would wear it as a necklace instead.

Light shone through the bakery's windows, breaking her out of her reverie. _Sunrise! _Her eyes widened.

She hadn't realized how fast time had passed. Without a second glance at the door, she turned and quickly cleaned up the mess, then dashed back upstairs to try and get some sleep before she had to get ready for school.

It was definitely going to be a long day...

* * *

A/N: I'm a sucker for thief!Chat Noir and Marichat stories, and couldn't stop myself from coming up with another story idea /shot. Hope you like it! Leave a review if you think it's worth continuing? :)


	2. Chapter 2

_-_ Ten years later -

_Intense green orbs caught her gaze. _

_"I promise, little lady. And maybe I'll call you by your name next time when we meet..."_

Chat Noir had promised he'd come for her again, but that had been ten years ago. There hasn't been a day gone by that Marinette hadn't thought about him, and wished to see him again. Chat Noir...how was he? What was he up to now?

Actually, she did know what he was up to now, thanks to him being an especially hot topic on the news. He was mysterious, dangerous, and sexy, just the type of bad boy that girls would go wild for. Not to mention that he was even more successful now, stealing the most valuable items from Paris's banks and museums and always managing to evade the police. This frustrated them to no end, and Marinette couldn't blame them. She felt slightly guilty that she had been the one who helped save his life all those years ago. Only slightly.

But what she desperately wanted to know, more than anything in the world, was if he still remembered that promise...if he still remembered _her_.

Marinette fiddled with the ring that she now wore on a gold chain around her neck - the only evidence that reminded her that what had happened ten years ago hadn't been a dream. She'd considered calling the number he had left her with many times - she'd even memorized it by heart - but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was afraid that if she called him, the lucky charm would be broken, and reality would come crashing down on her. That maybe he no longer remembered her...

"Marinette! Oi, earth to Marinette!"

Marinette squeaked and almost jumped out of her seat when she felt her best friend Alya Césaire poke her in the side. She blushed in embarrassment when she saw that she had dozed off in the middle of class while sitting in the front row.

_Oh no._

"Did you hear what Madame Bustier just said?" Her brown-haired best friend hissed.

"No?" Marinette said sheepishly, her eyes darting around the room to see if anyone had noticed that she had fallen asleep. As her eyes swept toward the back of the classroom, her fellow classmate, Nathaniel, smiled shyly at her. She groaned and buried her face in her hand.

"Oh, you'll like this, girl!" Alya said with a sly grin. "Adrien Agreste will be coming to speak to us as part of the Alumni series!"

Marinette's mouth dropped open in surprise. Their high school had recently started inviting alumni to return and speak to the graduating senior class in hopes of building connections with people across different industries. And they were having _Adrien Agreste_ come to speak at the school?

Adrien, a popular model and alumni of the Collège Françoise Dupont, was extremely successful despite only being twenty-five years of age. He was the heir to the _Gabriel_ brand that had been started by his father, a brand well-known in the world of fashion and beloved by men and women alike. And the cherry on top was the fact that he recently ranked number two on the _Sexiest Men in Europe_ list in Star Magazine. Not that Marinette was into showbiz. No, really.

Marinette had to admit that while she thought Adrien was cute, this was nothing compared to the feelings she harbored for Chat Noir. She had never thought of him in that way as a child, but as she got older, she would constantly receive updates about Chat Noir on the news. He was even more dangerous, but even more handsome if possible - not to mention the way his catsuit accentuated the buff muscles in his body - and she found herself developing a crush on him as she grew up. Now that she thought about it, perhaps the reason why she liked Adrien was because, like Chat Noir, he also had blond hair and green eyes. Or maybe she just had a thing for blonds ever since her fated meeting with Chat Noir...

Marinette glanced down at her notebook, quickly flipping the page when she saw that she had doodled a number of green paw prints between the pages. No, they weren't just paw prints. They were _his_ symbol, the symbol he often left at the scenes of his heists to taunt police further.

_You really have it bad, Marinette. _

She felt her cheeks burn.

"You okay, girl?" Alya asked, waving her hands in front of Marinette's face to get her attention. "You're blushing. Are you thinking about Adrien, or that mystery man who you refuse to tell me about?"

Marinette had met Alya in first grade. She had sat next to Alya during lunch one day when she saw that the red-haired girl was sitting alone, and they had become fast friends ever since. And now that they were seniors in high school, Marinette could never hide anything from the perceptive woman. Last year, she had finally given in to Alya's pestering and admitted that she may or may not have a crush on a guy. But there was absolutely no way that she could tell her best friend that she had a crush on _Chat Noir_, who she had also happened to save as a child. Alya would have a field day, while she would probably end up behind bars for being in cahoots with Paris's number one wanted criminal. Yeah, that definitely wouldn't turn out too well.

"Neither of them! We're still in class, Alya! Now's not the time to be talking about boys," Marinette insisted, quickly changing the subject. Alya smirked, wordlessly telling her that their conversation wasn't over and that she would get to the bottom of this, before the two girls finally turned their attention back to their teacher.

"As I was saying, Mr. Agreste will be coming to speak to us tomorrow about his career as a model. He may also have an exciting opportunity for us. I'm not allowed to say what that is yet, but you'll find out more about it tomorrow. I hope you'll look forward to it and give him the warmest welcome!" Madame Bustier continued excitedly. Half of the class - mostly the girls - squealed, while the boys groaned and rolled their eyes.

The bell rang, signaling that school was finally over for the day. Marinette and Alya got up from their seats and gathered their books, stowing them safely into their backpacks (Marinette's was a pink one that she had designed and created herself).

As the two friends got ready to leave, Chloe Bourgeois and Sabrina Raincomprix walked by, their heads lowered as they conversed in low voices. Marinette couldn't help but overhear parts of their conversation. "Oh, I'm gonna make Adrien fall in love with me tomorrow," Chloe boasted, flipping her long blond hair to one side as she brushed pass Marinette.

Marinette glared after them, her hands tightening into a fist. Chloe had bullied her since they were young and would make fun of her for making her own clothes. As the Mayor's daughter, she was also spoiled and manipulative, not afraid to do whatever it took to have things go her way. And now she had her eyes set on Adrien. It was sickening. Marinette opened her mouth to comment, but Alya dragged her away. "Come on, Mari. Chloe's not worth it," she assuaged her.

Marinette took a deep breath to calm herself down. Alya was right. She shook her head and let Alya lead her out of the classroom.

"Is there anything you'd like to do?" Alya asked once they had left the school, no doubt trying to help Marinette take her mind off Chloe. The bluenette blinked gratefully at her friend. "Or I can come stop by the bakery with you. It's been a while since I've had those amazing macarons."

"My parents would love to see you again too," Marinette said with a smile.

Alya grinned and hooked her arms through Marinette's. "Great, it's decided! Let's go!"

They joked and laughed the entire way back to the bakery. By the time they turned the corner and arrived at the bakery's front door, Marinette had completely forgotten about Chloe's earlier comment. Marinette tried to open the door, but saw that it was locked. She quickly unlocked it and pushed it open - she had convinced her parents to install a new lock after her encounter with Chat Noir - and was instantly greeted with the warm, delicious smell of the bakery. Her parents weren't there, however. They were probably baking in the kitchen when they didn't have many customers.

"I'm in heaven," Alya declared appreciatively as she sauntered up to the counter. As she contemplated on what to order, the door chimed again, signaling the arrival of another customer. Marinette turned around, her eyes bulging when she saw that this wasn't just any customer, either.

It was Adrien Agreste.

For a moment, she could only stare at him with her mouth dropped open. He was wearing a black suit with a matching red tie that seemed almost out of place in her family's homey bakery. He smiled pleasantly as he approached her. "Hi there. Do you work here?"

"A-Adrien Agreste?" she stuttered, her brain suddenly ceasing to function. Adrien Agreste, the popular model girls went crazy for, had just walked into her bakery. This couldn't be a dream, could it? "Y-Yes, I do! Get you I help how? I-I mean, how can I you help? N-No, I mean, how can I help you?" she wanted to bury herself in a hole and die of embarrassment. Of all the times for her to get starstruck, why did it have to be now? He probably thought she was one of his crazed fangirls...

Alya nudged her to bring her back to her senses.

"I was just passing by the area, but I really wanted to stop in as I've heard great things about your bakery. Is there anything you'd recommend?" he asked sweetly, gesturing to the variety of baked goods that were on display. If he was bothered by her stuttering, he didn't show it. She was acutely aware of Alya watching their exchange with an amused expression dancing across her face.

She took a deep breath to calm her speeding heart. "I, yes! Good macarons! No, ah, the macarons are good!"

"Oh? That sounds great!" he said. "In that case, can I get a box of twenty-four to go? Two of each flavor, except four for passion fruit." He winked at her as he pulled out a wad of bills.

"Right away, sir!" Marinette squeaked a response without thinking and ducked around the counter. As she picked up the macarons and carefully placed them into a box, she wanted to bang her head against the wall. Right away, _sir_? What the hell had she been thinking? Now Adrien probably thought she was an idiot. _Way to go, Marinette, giving him such an embarrassing first impression, _she scolded herself with a groan.

As she continued working, she reached for the passion fruit macarons and froze when she suddenly had a strange sense of déjà vu. When she had offered Chat Noir macarons as a child, hadn't he went for a passion fruit macaron? This had to be a coincidence, right? What were the chances of two boys, both with blond hair and green eyes, liking the same kind of macarons? She shrugged and dismissed the idea. There was no way that sweet and charming Adrien could be the sly and ruthless Chat Noir.

She taped the box shut and handed it to Adrien, his hand brushing over hers as he took it. Her cheeks flushed at the contact.

"Thank you, Marinette!" he said gratefully as he handed the money to her. "Keep the change," he added, still smiling hugely as he turned and left the bakery, leaving Marinette staring after him and wondering what the hell had just happened.

"I didn't dream that up, did I?" she asked weakly, pinching her cheek to make sure that she hadn't been dreaming about Adrien.

"Of course it wasn't a dream. He was totally flirting with you, girl!" Alya gushed excitedly as soon as he had walked out of the bakery.

"You think?" Marinette asked dryly, flopping down at a table now that Adrien was gone. She was suddenly very grateful that it was currently down time at the bakery, so there weren't any other customers who would've witnessed her embarrassing actions.

"I don't just think it, I know it! By the way, have you met before?" Alya asked curiously. "He said, 'Thank you, Marinette!' He knew your name!"

She frowned. Alya had a point. She definitely hadn't told him her name when he had come in, not to mention he had also asked her if _she_ worked there instead of Alya. It was almost as though he had been there before, but that couldn't be possible because she definitely would've remembered it.

"No, we haven't," she answered thoughtfully. "But who knows? Maybe one of his friends is a regular and told him about me?"

"Maybe," Alya hummed. "Anyway, I'm starved! Can you get me some macarons too, girl?"

Marinette quickly went to get the macarons for Alya - and insisting that they were on the house - but she couldn't stop thinking about the two mysterious boys and her feelings for _him_.

* * *

Since she was young, she had dreamed of the day when she finally met Chat Noir again. And ever since her encounter with Adrien that afternoon, she couldn't stop thinking about _him_. And so, that night, she had that dream again.

_Chat Noir was balancing on her balcony, his movements as graceful as ever. "I'm finally here, little lady," he purred, taking her hand and kissing it. Marinette could've melted as she felt his warm lips brush against her fingers._

_"Chat Noir? What took you so long?" she asked, unable to tear her eyes away. Even though his catsuit, mask, and ears were still the same as they had been ten years ago, she could tell that he had grown more mature, with a defined jawline that made him appear even sexier. Her cheeks flamed as she studied him._

_"I've been caught up with work. It's not easy being a criminal, you know," he lamented. He leaned forward and placed a clawed hand on the top of her head. "It's been a while, hasn't it? You're all grown up, Marinette."_

_"Of course I've grown up," she said with a grin, her heart fluttering when he finally said her name after all those years._

_"Marinette," he growled her name again._

_She had waited so long to see him. __She closed her eyes, secretly hoping that he would close the distance between them and kiss her. _

_Suddenly, she heard him choke in pain. Her eyes flew open, and she could only watch in horror as bright crimson blood seeped through his catsuit. He doubled back, clutching his stomach in pain. And then he disappeared in front of her._

_"Chat Noir!" she cried in desperation and reached out for him. __Tears threatened to escape from her eyes. __He couldn't leave, not when they had finally found each other again! _

_But everything she did was futile._

_He was gone._

* * *

A/N: Thank you, thank you for all the incredible support for the story so far! I'm so glad that you're liking it, and I hope you'll like this chapter as well! :) A macaron for your thoughts? ;)

Also, has anyone seen Oblivio? /Screaming in French/


	3. Chapter 3

Marinette screamed and sat up, her body drenched in cold sweat. She couldn't shake the image of Chat Noir, wounded and bleeding, out of her mind. She only relaxed once she reminded herself that she was sitting in her bed. _It was only a dream, _she told herself firmly, slapping her cheeks to wake herself up. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, her mind spinning with memories from her dream.

Why had she dreamt that Chat Noir was injured again? Was she remembering that night, many years ago, when he had showed up by her door - literally - with such a terrible wound? While her eight-year-old self had jumped at the chance to help him and hadn't bothered thinking about anything else, she had an inkling that if she hadn't aided him that night, he may not have made it...She drew another breath. No, she had to stop delving into the past. Chat Noir was now alive and well, and nothing bad was going to happen - she had probably just been thinking about how he had left that night, that's all. There were more important things for her to be concerned with, like the fact that she was going to see Adrien again today.

_Oh no, Adrien! _

Her eyes grew round, and she practically jumped out of bed in her haste to get ready for school. She almost bumped into her mother on her way to the bathroom.

"Good morning, Maman!" she greeted cheerfully as she ran past.

"Good morning, dear," Sabine smiled warmly back at her daughter. Marinette had inherited her mother's dark blue-colored hair. "You're rather energetic today. Is anything going on at school?" Trust her mother to know everything.

Marinette poked her head out of the bathroom with her toothbrush in her mouth. "Mmm! Afien comfing!" she mumbled around a mouthful of toothpaste. "I mean, Adrien is coming to speak to us today!" she elaborated after spitting out the toothpaste into the sink. She quickly rinsed the minty taste out of her mouth, then followed her mother downstairs for breakfast.

Her eyes glowed at the delicious-looking baguette sitting on the dining table. Her stomach rumbled in hunger.

"Good morning, Papa!" Marinette said cheerily as Tom came out of the kitchen.

"Good morning, Marinette!" Her father was a man with a large build, and probably one of the warmest and kindest people Marinette knew. He grinned as his wife and daughter sat down to join him for breakfast.

The family chatted merrily as Marinette stuffed her mouth with the fluffy, fresh-out-of-the-oven baguette. The best part of her family owning a bakery was the fact they had fresh, delicious bread at all times of the day. That was something she wouldn't trade with the world.

She finished her meal in a few bites, then quickly slipped on her backpack and headed to the door. "Well, I'm off for school!" she called back to her parents. She heard them wish her a good day before the door closed, and then she was off.

* * *

The class was buzzing with excitement as Marinette walked into the room. After all, today was the day that Adrien would be coming to speak to them. Alya was already seated by the time Marinette made her way to her desk.

"Hey Alya!"

"Morning, girl! Can you believe that Adrien Agreste will be coming to our class today? I'm going to get the juiciest scoop for my blog!" Alya said in way of greeting. She was a huge fan of celebrity gossip, and even had her own blog in which she wrote about France's latest celebrities.

"Good for you, Alya," Marinette said with a smile. While Marinette wasn't especially into celebrity news, she still supported Alya in following her dreams of becoming a journalist. The other benefit of being Alya Césaire's best friend was that she kept Marinette updated on Chat Noir's latest escapades. While Marinette would never openly admit it to her, she secretly appreciated being able to follow the news about him and get updates on how he was doing.

Her friend pulled out her trusted journal from her backpack and chewed on her pen thoughtfully. "What do you think are some good questions that I should ask him? How about...What kind of girl is your type? Oh, imagine him answering 'My type is the girl sitting in front of me, with dark hair and blue eyes!' Wouldn't that be romantic, girl?"

Marinette's cheeks turned red at what the other girl was suggesting. "Alya, please! There's no way he could be interested in me! And besides, he's here to talk about careers, right? Not his love life!"

Luckily, she was saved from further teasing when Madame Bustier walked into the room with non other than Adrien behind her. Instantly, the girls in the classes started screaming, and Marinette could only hide behind her science textbook in hopes that he wouldn't recognize her. Once she saw the coast was clear, she cautiously peeked at him from behind her book.

Even though he was a famous celebrity, Adrien was charming but modest. He wasn't like certain others, who were stuck-up and used their fame and wealth to get what they wanted. As he stood in the front of the class, he appeared almost nervous, which Marinette found rather endearing.

"Well, thank you for that warm welcome, everyone!" Madame Bustier said, clapping her hands to bring the class's attention back. "May I introduce, from our very own Collège Françoise Dupont, Adrien Agreste!"

The class burst into applause.

"Hello everyone," Adrien began as the clapping finally died down. "I'm Adrien Agreste, but just Adrien is cool. I'm a model for my father's _Gabriel _brand. Honestly, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here right now, figuratively and literally - " the students couldn't stop laughing at that, and Adrien grinned at the welcoming response - "and I'm very honored for him to be so supportive of me and to always have my back. But today, I'm not here to talk about my father. I'm here to talk about you, because you all are incredible students and I'm sure you'll all do amazing things in the future. If there's anything I can do to help out, just let me know. Before we get into the Question and Answer portion, I also wanted to introduce an exciting opportunity!"

Marinette sat up a little straighter in her chair. Like the other students, she too was curious to see what this opportunity would be.

"The _Gabriel_ brand is looking for a fashion designer. And as a way to give back to my alma mater, we've decided to hold a fashion design contest for students in the _Terminale_ class. The criteria are simple: it has to be your own work, and follow the theme of our upcoming collection, _Red and Black_. Other than that, feel free to use your imagination to make your designs as creative as possible. The deadline will be one month from now, on April Thirtieth. The winner will be announced at my next fashion show in two months, where I will be modeling your designs! We're looking forward to reviewing every entry."

Alya leaned closer to Marinette, her eyes shining. "This could be your big break, girl!" she whispered.

Marinette could only nod as she eagerly listened to Adrien. The gears in her brain were already spinning, brainstorming ideas that she could use for the contest.

"Please feel free to take a flyer if you're interested in participating, it contains additional details like how to submit your designs. But now, we'll be moving on to any questions you might have!"

Instantly, hands shot up from every corner of the class.

"Yes?" Adrien pointed to Alya, one of the first to raise her hand.

Marinette groaned inwardly, almost expecting her to ask the dreaded 'What's your type of girl?' question. Instead, she was surprised when Alya smirked and asked, "Are there any restaurants that you'd recommend in Paris?"

"Hmm, I wouldn't say a restaurant, as I have to follow a strict diet as part of being a model. I do take an occasional break from my diet, though. And one bakery in particular has especially delicious macarons. The name of the bakery is the Tom and Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie if I recall correctly," Adrien replied with a sheepish smile that melted the hearts of all the girls in the class.

Marinette's mouth dropped open. He had just revealed to the entire room that her parents' bakery was his favorite Paris eatery! She was touched that he remembered the name.

"Wow, how sweet! That's my friend's place!" Alya declared, pulling Marinette's textbook away so Adrien could notice her. Marinette squealed and tried to hide behind Alya, but it was too late. He had already recognized her.

He gave her bright smile. "Do tell your parents how delicious those macarons were."

She swallowed nervously, playing with a strand of her dark blue hair. Was it her imagination, or were half of the class suddenly glaring at her? She tried to make herself smaller as the questions for Adrien resumed.

By the end of the session, even Marinette had to admit that some of the questions were ridiculous, ranging from "What do you like to do for fun?" to "Are you seeing anyone?" (Marinette was surprised that he said no to that one). In other words, none of them were even remotely related to the actual topic they were supposed to be discussing. But Adrien was a gentleman and patiently answered all of them.

The bell rang just then, signaling the start of lunch and sparing Adrien from having to answer any more of the class's questions. Everyone groaned, for once too engrossed to be excited for the end of class.

"Well, I'm afraid that's all the time we had. But please thank Adrien again for coming and for answering all your questions!" Madame Bustier concluded the session, and the students once again clapped enthusiastically.

Marinette was the first one out of her seat, eagerly approaching Adrien to pick up a flyer. "Hi, again!" she stammered. "I-I'd like a flyer. I'm a designer fashion. I mean, I'm a fashion designer!"

Alya followed Marinette and swung an arm around her shoulders. "Mari here even designs all her own clothes! Isn't that so cool?"

"That's amazing! I'll be looking forward to your submission!" Adrien beamed at her, then looked thoughtful when Marinette's movement caught his eye - he had seen a flash of gold from her neck. "That's an interesting necklace you have there," he noted.

Marinette instantly went beet red. "Oh, this? This is nothing! Just a family heirloom!" she said the first thing she could come up with. She hated lying, but there was no way she could tell Adrien that the necklace was really a ring that belonged to non other than Chat Noir!

He shrugged. "Well, if you say so. But I still think it's nice!"

"T-Thank you," she stuttered, then practically ran out of the classroom with Alya in tow. She still couldn't believe she had a conversation - no, two conversations now (not that she was counting them) - with Adrien, and he actually had been really nice to her.

* * *

He watched her go, his lips widening into a sly, cheshire grin. He was pretty sure that she had been lying when she had responded to his comment about the necklace. After all, he was a part-time criminal, which meant that he had to be quite good at reading people. And if she had been lying about the necklace, that meant she didn't want other people to find out the truth behind it. He hadn't seen her wearing his ring - he knew she smart, and wouldn't reveal her connection to him away to others. But perhaps...that necklace...

He hadn't meant to go inside the bakery the day before. He'd promised not to see her again unless she asked for his help, which he hoped was a day that would never come because he'd hate to see her in danger. After all, he was a criminal, and she shouldn't involve herself with someone like him. But he'd remembered how adorable she had been when she had offered him a macaron as a child, and he couldn't stop himself. He'd developed a soft spot for the sweet treats ever since, not that he would ever let anyone else know. Chat Noir, Paris's most wanted criminal, had a sweet tooth? Yeah, no doubt even the Paris Police Prefecture would laugh at that. He scoffed as he imagined Roger Raincomprix, the bothersome policeman assigned to his case, laying out a mouse trap for him and using a macaron for bait. That would be ridiculous.

Anyway, back to Marinette... He thought that maybe if he approached her in his civilian form, he could pretend that everything was normal, that he wasn't secretly a criminal who stole anything and everything valuable. The idea of stealing from her bakery had crossed his mind a few times - she would probably get a kick out of that - and it was so tempting. But he didn't want to bring her under the spotlight, especially under Hawk Moth's radar.

He curled his fingers into a fist as he thought of Hawk Moth. If Chat Noir was the number one criminal in Paris, Hawk Moth would be considered number two. But he was as vile and ruthless as criminals got. Unlike Chat Noir, who never killed anyone no matter who he crossed paths with, Hawk Moth couldn't care less about morals. He would kill anyone to get what he wanted, and he even recruited lackeys who snooped around to do his dirty work. He was disgusting. And it frustrated Chat Noir to no end that he had never beaten Hawk Moth.

Ten years ago, he had nearly died by Hawk Moth's hands. If it hadn't been for Marinette's quick-thinking and first aid that night, he probably wouldn't have survived. He owed her his life, and he could probably never fully repay her for her kindness. She really was too good for him...he smiled fondly as he thought of the sassy eight-year-old girl. She'd grown up to become a beautiful woman.

"Ahem," a cough interrupted his thoughts.

Adrien blinked to see a girl with blond hair and blue eyes standing in front of him, clad in a white top with a yellow jacket over it. He thought he had seen her somewhere before. "Hi," he said, switching back to his friendly persona.

"I'm Chloe," the girl introduced with a smile. "Chloe Bourgeois."

Bourgeois...Bourgeois...why was that name so familiar? His eyes widened when he remembered that she was the Mayor's daughter. No wonder she looked familiar. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Bourgeois," he said politely. "Would you like a flyer for the contest?"

"I'm not interested in some stupid flyer," she said with a roll of her eyes. "But do you know what I _am_ interested in?"

Adrien was saved from having to respond to Chloe when his phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket to see that the caller ID read _Nino_, his best friend and manager who also worked part time as a DJ. Adrien smiled apologetically at Chloe. "No, sorry. I have to take this call. Excuse me."

He hit the answer button. "What's up, Nino?"

"Hey, dude!" Nino's familiar voice came from the other end. "How'd your talk go?"

"It was great. Fantastic. You really saved me back there. Some girl was hitting on me." Adrien confessed, shooting a furtive glance at Chloe. Thankfully, she was now talking to another girl and was no longer paying attention to him.

Nino chortled with laughter. "What can I say, Mr. Model?"

"You're flattering me," Adrien joked. "Anyway, got to go. I have a photoshoot at one. I'll see you later?"

"You bet. Oh! Before you leave, I have to ask. Did you meet any cute girls while you were there?" His friend asked teasingly.

"Nino, you know that's hardly appropriate! Although..." Adrien trailed off as an image of Marinette flashed in his head. Damn. He couldn't get her out of his mind.

"You have, haven't you?" Nino asked. "I'm gonna get all the juicy details from you later!"

"No! I have not!" Adrien protested, a little too late. "Anyway, I better go! See you later!"

Adrien quickly ended the call before Nino could question him further. He said goodbye to the teacher, Madame Bustier, and promised to leave the rest of the flyers with her. He then exited the school - making sure to put on his hat and sunglasses to prevent students from recognizing him - to find his personal chauffeur, whom he dubbed the Gorilla due to his bulky build, waiting dutifully for him at the front of the building. He walked up to the black car and pulled the door open.

"I'm ready," he informed his driver. The other man grunted in response, then pulled away from the curb.

Adrien cast one last, longing glance at his former school - not just the school, but a certain dark-haired, pigtailed girl he'd left behind - before they turned the corner, and the school disappeared from his view.

* * *

A/N: Thank you again for all your lovely reviews! Here are some virtual macarons, hope you like them! ;) And some of you were asking for Adrien's POV, so I've written some for this chapter! Hope I did his character justice!

Fun fact: Terminale is the term used to refer to 12th grade in French. I did some research about the school system in France :)


	4. Chapter 4

Marinette tore the page from her sketchbook and crumpled it into a ball before throwing it into the trashcan in frustration. She had been sitting at her desk for nearly an hour, trying to come up with a _Red and Black _themed design for Adrien's contest, but her brain had nothing. She'd contemplated designing something similar to Chat Noir's sleek, leather catsuit, but gave up on the idea almost immediately - it would reveal her interest in Chat Noir, not just to Adrien but to the entire world. Of course she couldn't let that happen.

And so, she was back to square one.

She glanced at her desktop computer, which had been playing the news channel in the background while she worked, when a _Breaking News! _Sign flashed across the screen.

"This is Nadja Chamack with TVi News. A middle-aged man was found dead on Rue Nicolas Flamel at 6:00PM Friday evening," Nadja Chamack, a well-known news reporter and the mother of Manon, a young girl whom Marinette sometimes babysat, announced gravely. "Police have been unable to identify him due to the nature of his wounds, but we believe he may be involved with a gang or criminal organization. We advise citizens to stay away from the area, and try not to go out at night for your safety. We will keep you updated when we're able to find out more information about the case."

Marinette shivered. She couldn't imagine what it must have been like for his family and friends, to come home only to find one of their loved ones brutally murdered...She could only hope that he was now in a better place.

Hearing about the crime made her think of a certain cat. She plopped down on her bed, hugging her home-made black cat plush tightly. The stuffed animal was a little worn now – she'd made it when she was fifteen - but to Marinette, it was still perfect because it reminded her of _him_.

As she thought about him, she pulled out her necklace and toyed with the ring, her thumb tracing the emerald paw print embedded in the center. Chat Noir...What was he doing now? Was he living a normal life during the day and acting like an ordinary person? Did he do everyday things, like watch the news? She wondered what he thought about the man's death.

She had so many questions she wanted to ask him, but she couldn't get the answers to any of them. She sighed.

She longed to go out and take a walk to clear her mind, but considering the recent increase in crime rates in the city, she'd rather not risk it. Instead, she pulled down the ladder that led to her rooftop balcony. If she couldn't go outside, this would have to be the second best option. She climbed up the steps and onto the roof, sucking in a deep breath as she took in the crisp night air. She loved the view from her balcony - she could see Notre Dame in the distance, and the Place des Vosges park down below.

As she marveled the tiny cars and pedestrians below, she had a sudden urge to call her best friend - perhaps Alya could help her out with her current predicament. She took out her phone and dialed Alya's number.

The bubbly journalist picked up the phone after the third ring. "What's up, girl?" she asked curiously.

"Hey Alya! I'm trying to come up with a design for Adrien's contest, but I can't think of anything!" Marinette complained, her lips forming into a pout.

"Ahh. You've got writer's block. Do you know what you need, girl?" Alya said conspiringly. Marinette could almost picture her wagging her eyebrows as she spoke.

"And what do I need, Alya?" Marinette asked, eagerly waiting for her friend's answer.

Much to Marinette's annoyance, Alya took her time before responding. "What you need, Mari, is...a party!" she revealed dramatically. "You know, Kim is having one at his place tonight. You should come!"

Kim was their classmate and a typical jock, the type who only hanged out with the cool kids. He also had a crush on Chloe, a fact he didn't hesitate to make known to the world. Marinette could guess that the only reason he was hosting a party was to impress Chloe, too.

She had to admit that she was a little jealous of Kim. Not because of his crush on Chloe, but because how simple and innocent his crush was. No one would judge him for who he liked. But there was no way Marinette could tell anyone her secret crush...

"But Alya, you know I'm not a fan of parties!" she protested. It would be typical Alya to suggest partying as a solution to her problem. Unlike Marinette, Alya was a huge fan of parties, claiming that they were a great resource for her blog. Marinette, on the other hand, didn't see the appeal in them. "Besides, didn't you just hear the news about that man? It's not safe to go out at night!"

"What's the harm in parties, girl? This is our last year of high school, you should live a little! And we'd be together the entire time, I promise! Don't think of it as a party, think of it as a source of inspiration," Alya persuaded.

"Well...if you put it that way..." Marinette said reluctantly. Her friend did have a point. Besides, it wasn't like she had other plans. "Fine. I'll be there."

"Great! I'll text you the address! See you in a few, girl!"

* * *

Marinette stood outside Kim's house - it was more like a mansion - wearing a knee-length red dress with kimono sleeves and a matching dark red shawl. She was proud of her handiwork, considering that it was something she'd thrown together last minute. After she had agreed to go to the party, she'd hastily dressed up and applied some quick makeup before dashing out of her house.

Her hand reached for the doorbell, then floundered. Was coming to this party really a good idea?

Perhaps she ought to just go home and spend the rest of her night safely tucked away in her room. But then again...she'd already promised Alya she would be there. It wouldn't be fair to her friend if she just went home without an explanation.

_Just for a few minutes_, she decided. _I'll just go in for a few minutes. If I don't like it, I'll go home. _

She rang the doorbell. It took a few minutes before anyone opened the door for her. She wasn't surprised, considering how loud the music - which she recognized was by a popular singer named Jagged Stone - was booming inside the house.

"Hi Marinette!" Her classmate, a blond-haired girl named Rose, greeted her by the door. "I didn't think you'd come!"

"I'm glad I could come," she said politely. She scanned the room, but couldn't see Alya anywhere. "Who else is here?"

"Almost everyone from our class, and a few of Kim's old friends," Rose replied.

"I see. I'm looking for Alya. She should be here..." Marinette trailed off awkwardly.

The petite girl looked thoughtful. "Maybe she's getting a drink in the kitchen. Come on, I'll take you there!"

Marinette followed her, glad that she had met someone she knew. The hallways were so crowded that she accidentally bumped into Kim as she tried to squeeze by a group of students. "Oh, sorry!" she apologized quickly.

Kim managed to duck out of the way before she crashed into him. "Hey Marinette! It's cool that you can be here! And no worries, it's all good! Hope you have fun!"

She smiled in return. "Thanks, Kim. You too!" She quickly made her way down the hall, successfully avoiding hitting anything this time. She entered the kitchen after Rose, and spotted Alya talking to an older, dark-skinned boy - perhaps he was one of Kim's friends that Rose had mentioned? - by the table. Of course Alya would be striking up a conversation with boys.

"Alya, there you are!" Marinette said, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw her friend.

"Mari, I'm so glad you came! And your dress is so cute!" Alya gushed as she hugged her friend. Her smile broadened when she saw the gold chain around Marinette's neck. "Isn't that the necklace Adrien had been asking about?"

Marinette froze when she realized that Alya had noticed it. "Er, this? It's just a boring old family heirloom, really!" She would have to be more careful with the necklace in the future...

"Did someone say Adrien?" the older boy who Alya had been talking to asked, joining the girls by the table. Marinette secretly thanked the gods that he had interrupted them before Alya could ask about the necklace. "I'm Nino, by the way. I'm Kim's friend, and I also happen to be a DJ!"

"Marinette," she introduced herself with a wave.

"Did you just say that you know Adrien, Nino?" Alya demanded, getting straight to the point.

Nino nodded, his thick-rimmed glasses slipping down his nose due to the sudden movement. He quickly pushed it back up. "Yup. We've been best friends since grade school."

"No way," Marinette gasped at his revelation. It really was a small world.

Nino grinned. "Yes way. He asked if I would come speak to your class, too, actually! I might hit him up on that offer."

"That would be great if you can come!" Alya said, her eyes shining eagerly. Marinette smirked at their exchange - it looked like her friend was developing a small crush on Nino. Marinette didn't want to impose on Alya when she was having fun. Maybe she would let them have their moment, and go back home by herself...

"Hey Alya! I'm actually a little tired, so I'll go back by myself first. Have fun with Nino!" she tried to tell Alya, but her friend was already lost in her conversation with Nino and hadn't heard her over the loud music.

Marinette shrugged. She would just text Alya once she got home. She turned and headed back the way she had come, passing by various couples making out on her way to the front door. She rolled her eyes. Talk about PDA.

She successfully located the front door and let herself out into the night, instantly grateful for the silence now that she'd left the scene of the party behind. Her ears were still ringing from the music.

She walked the first four blocks without incident, humming softly to herself. But then she turned the corner, and stopped when she noticed that it had become quiet. Too quiet.

She gazed around warily. But when she saw that there was nothing there - there were no cars, no pedestrians - she shrugged and continued down the street. If she quickened her pace, she would be home in no time.

That was when she heard footsteps come up behind her. Too late, she gasped when a man lunged forward and wrapped his arm tightly around her neck. She didn't even have time to react.

"Don't move, bitch."

The closeness of his voice made a shiver run down her spine. She craned her neck to try and see her attacker, but he was standing behind her and blocking her view. Out of the corner of her eye, she could make out the faint outline of a hood that covered his entire face.

"Give me everything you have. Do as I say and I might let you go. _After_ I'm done with you..." the man growled threateningly, suggesting that he had planned something far, far worse.

No, no, no.

This couldn't be happening.

Was this how she was going to die? The party really had been a bad idea...if only she had just stayed home. But now her parents would lose their only daughter, and Alya would lose her best friend. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

"I-I don't have anything. J-Just my phone," she croaked, her voice dry. It was true. She hadn't brought anything besides her cell phone. She shakily reached for her purse and pried it open. Maybe if she could distract him long enough, she would be able to call the police. Or...her heart skipped a beat. Perhaps she could call _him_. Just thinking about Chat Noir gave her a rush of hope.

"You lie. What about that necklace?"

She winced when he reached for the necklace, his hand brushing too close to the nape of her neck as he yanked it out. He suddenly let out a string of curses and let go of the necklace as though he had been burned.

"Damn bitch. You're Chat Noir's woman, aren't you?" he practically spat out the name of the criminal, his voice laced with venom. His eyes darted around nervously, almost as if he was expecting Chat Noir to show up right there and then. Then his grip on her loosened, and he turned and scurried off.

Marinette sank to her knees. For a moment, she could hardly breath, her mind still reeling from shock at the unexpected turn of events. She had almost lost her life...and then he had just up and ran away. What the hell had that been about?

She did know one thing though, and that was to get out of the alley as quickly as she could. She forced herself to stand up and run all the way home, even though her legs were shaky and she felt like she was about to collapse at any moment. But she didn't stop running until she was safe within the walls of her beloved bakery.

She let out a breath as she leaned against the counter, trying to calm her racing heart. Now that the threat was gone and the adrenaline had left her system, she suddenly felt exhausted. She could close her eyes and go to sleep right there -

Her phone rang just then, almost making her jump in surprise. She quickly pulled it out of her purse to see that the caller was Alya.

"Marinette, is everything okay?" Her best friend demanded as soon as she answered the call. "You just left the party and didn't say anything! I was worried sick!"

"I'm sorry, Alya," Marinette apologized quickly. A part of her longed to tell Alya about what had happened to her that night. But Alya sounded like she was having fun, and Marinette didn't want to worry her. She decided against it. "I tried to tell you, but it was too loud. I was going to text you when I got home."

"As long as you're safe," Alya said, sounding relieved. "Girl, I gotta go. But I'll talk to you later?"

"You bet," Marinette agreed. "Have fun, Alya!"

She ended the call, then slowly trudged upstairs to her bedroom with her feet feeling like lead. She collapsed face-first into the bed, not even bothering to take off her dress.

She was acutely aware of Chat Noir's ring pressing against her neck. She couldn't believe that it was the ring that had saved her life. Her mind wandered to the night Chat Noir had given it to her_. "Other criminals wouldn't dare hurt you while you're under my protection," _he had promised. Perhaps that was why the man had ran away after he recognized _his_ symbol?

He had even called her Chat Noir's woman, too…her cheeks warmed at the thought.

Chat Noir…he had inadvertently saved her that night. "I owe you one, huh?" she murmured into her pillow. _I wish I can see you again, Chat Noir..._

His handsome face was the last thing on her mind before she drifted into the land of dreams.

* * *

A/N: Thank you again for all your amazing reviews and support! There haven't been many Marichat scenes yet, but their reunion will be coming up soon, I promise (if only she knew what Adrien is hiding xD) ! The plot is thickening ;)

Hope you liked this chapter! Let me know what you think with a review?


	5. Chapter 5

The hooded man, also known as a criminal called the Bubbler, threw his fist against the wall in frustration. He was currently standing outside a bar called L'Akuma that was especially popular with criminals. A drink sounded particularly nice after his failed attempt at stealing from that cursed woman.

His companion, a silent criminal who went by the Mime and was known for miming while performing his crimes, placed his hand on the first man's shoulder in a gesture of concern. _Are you okay_?

"No," the Bubbler spat in response, jerking away from the second man. "I was so close to getting this woman. The bitch was such a good catch, too. But do you know what's funny?"

His friend shook his head.

"Chat Noir got her first. She's his woman! Who knew he even had a woman, huh?" The Bubbler let out a humorless laugh. This was true - everyone knew that Chat Noir acted alone. He didn't have a partner in crime, and especially not a woman. He was the type who was extra careful and didn't show even a single weakness. That was what brought him success as a criminal. But now, to hear that he may in fact have a woman...

The Mime perked up at this news. He gestured to the Bubbler and frowned. _Are you sure? _he seemed to ask.

He nodded. "I'm sure. She had a ring with his symbol on it!"

The Mime grinned, drawing a butterfly symbol with his hands.

"Oh?" The Bubbler said, an evil smile spreading across his lips as he caught on to his friend's plan. "I like what you're plotting, Mime. We can report this to the boss. I'm sure he'd be overjoyed to hear that his archenemy has a weakness."

The Mime made more movements with his hands, one hand taking the other and hiding it from the Bubbler's view.

The Bubbler clapped his hands in anticipation. "Are you saying that we should kidnap her and bring her to Hawk Moth? Sounds like a plan. I'm feeling better already. It's time for a little revenge, eh?"

* * *

_"Chat Noir strikes again! The National Bank reported that the notorious criminal sneaked in last night and took off with 20,000 Euros. It's impressive that he's able to pull of such well-planned heists without leaving any evidence except for his signature green paw print. One has to wonder, what will he be up to next?"_

Marinette stared at the news article on her phone, unable to tear her eyes away. The students in her class were all whispering excitedly about Chat Noir's latest crime and debating what he would go after next.

"Maybe he would steal the Blue Diamond," Rose suggested, referring to a timeless necklace that was on display at the Museum of Decorative Arts. "I think it's really valuable, if you ask me."

"I think he would steal the Bastet statue at the Louvre," Juleka, Rose's soft spoken best friend, insisted quietly. "I mean, he is Chat Noir. He would go for the cat themed items."

Marinette giggled at that.

"Wow, he really is something, isn't he?" Alya mused, glancing at the article over Marinette's shoulder.

"He really is," Marinette agreed with a dreamy sigh. It took her a second before her brain registered what she had said. "Wait, no, I didn't mean it that way!" she amended hastily, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

"Oh? Are you interested in Paris's top wanted Criminal, Mari?" Alya asked teasingly.

Marinette waved her hands wildly in protest. "O-Of course I'm not! Why would I be interested in Chat Noir? He's a criminal!"

_He's the criminal whom you saved as a child, and who promised to protect you if you ever got in trouble…_a small voice reminded her in the back of her mind. Great. Even her mind was against her.

Marinette groaned and hid her face behind her hands to hide her blush.

Luckily, Madame Bustier walked into the class then, and everyone turned their attention to their teacher. "Good morning, class!" she began, her teal eyes shining. "I'm excited to announce that another alumni will be coming to speak to our class tomorrow. His name is Nino Lahiffe. I hope you'll look forward to his session!"

"So Nino really is coming!" Marinette whispered to Alya. She was happy that her friend would get another chance to see him.

"Yeah! He told me," Alya said excitedly.

Marinette raised an eyebrow at her friend. When had he gotten a chance to tell her? As far as she knew, the two hadn't spoken after the party. "He told you?" she repeated.

Alya's cheeks reddened. "Yes. We exchanged numbers at the party. He's been keeping me updated."

"What?" Marinette exclaimed, then quickly clamped her mouth shut at Madame Bustier's stern look. The girls fell silent, but Marinette couldn't wait to ask Alya for more details about it after school.

* * *

Thankfully, school passed without further incident. As soon as the last bell rang, Marinette jumped up from her seat. "So, Alya," she started eagerly, not batting an eyelash. "Is there anything you're not telling me about Nino?"

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently, then gasped as she glanced up at the clock. "Oh, look at the time! I forgot I had to watch my sisters after school!"

Marinette placed a hand over her heart, pretending to look hurt. "Are you leaving already? But you haven't told me all the details yet!"

"I'm sorry, girl. Raincheck?" Alya asked, blinking apologetically at the bluenette.

"I suppose it can't be helped," Marinette agreed with a sigh. "But promise you'll tell me all about it?"

"Promise! You're the best, Mari!" Alya jokingly blew her a kiss before she turned and sprinted out of the school. Marinette shook her head amusedly. Now that she had the entire afternoon to herself, what could she do?

She grinned as a lightbulb went off in her head. She could work on her design for Adrien's contest!

She headed to the bus stop, eager to get to the Trocadéro, which she liked to call her secret garden of inspiration. As soon as the bus arrived, she hopped on, placing in the correct change before making her way to the back to find a seat. After she sat down, she sent a message to her mother to inform her that she would be coming home a little late. Marinette knew her mother would get worried if she stayed out late without letting her know first.

She counted the number of stops as the bus maneuvered its way through the busy streets of Paris. _One...two...three..._

It felt like forever before the bus finally got to her stop.

She got off the bus, stopping to take in the beautiful scene in front of her. It really was the perfect location. The Trocadéro, conveniently located across the Seine, was the epitome of the bustling, romantic city - not to mention that the Eiffel Tower made for the perfect backdrop in the distance.

Marinette sat down on one of the marble steps and pulled out her sketchbook. She stuck her tongue out subconsciously as she began to draw out different outfits in the pink and white dotted sketchbook. _Red and black...red and black..._

Ugh. It was easier said than done. She knew she having so much trouble because she truly wanted to create a design that would impress Adrien. Not just Adrien, but his father, too. If she could win the contest and be chosen to be the designer of the _Gabriel_ brand...that would be her dream. And perhaps one day, Chat Noir would be able to wear her designs, too. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she imagined him wearing a suit that she had designed.

She paused, looking up as a few clouds drifted lazily across the sky. She looked back at the page, her eyes widening as a tiny ladybug flew down and landed on her hand. Red and black...a ladybug! Of course! Why hadn't she thought of a ladybug before?

She was so deep in thought that she hadn't noticed how fast the time had passed. It was only when the sun began to set that she gasped and jumped up. She hurriedly stuffed her sketchbook back into her bag. She nimbly jumped down the remaining steps onto the street below.

Just as she turned the corner and began making her way towards the bus stop, a black Subaru pulled to a stop in front of her. She hesitated, wondering if the car had stopped to ask her for directions. Then again, it was getting late. She really ought to get home...she tried to skirt around the car.

The window on the car's passenger side rolled down slowly, revealing the person inside and stopping her in her tracks. Her stomach dropped as the face of the hooded man appeared in front of her. "I found you, bitch," he smirked at her. "This time, you're not getting away."

_No!_

Every hair on her body screamed at her to run, but she had completely frozen in fear. Memories of Friday night flooded through her. How could he have found her again?

Everything that happened next was a blur to Marinette. She tried to back away, but he was too fast. He reached out and gripped her arm, so tightly that she was afraid he would break it if she tugged too hard. The man pulled out a taser and lunged for her through the car's window.

The last thing she was aware of was an intense pain that made her entire body freeze before she lost consciousness and slumped onto the ground.

* * *

"Nng..." Marinette groaned as she regained consciousness, her head throbbing in pain. Not that gaining consciousness really helped much - she was in a dark, enclosed space and could hardly see her surroundings. For a moment, she couldn't remember for the life of her what had happened. Then her heart lurched as everything came back. She had been kidnapped by the man who had tried to attack her last Friday.

Why had he kidnapped her after he ran away the first time? And where was she? She struggled to move her hands, then gave up once she realized that they were bound by a a rope behind her back.

Suddenly, her body was violently thrown to one side. She gasped in pain as her head hit the ceiling. At least that answered her second question - she was certain that she was in the back of a moving car. She still had her purse on her, though, and she didn't think he had taken anything. She wondered what kind of criminal the guy was if he hadn't bothered to take her belongings away. He was either not very smart, or he was overconfident that she wouldn't be able to reach it. He probably thought the latter, she decided grimly.

She held her breath when she heard the man's excited voice come from somewhere at the front of the car. He must've been talking to his accomplice.

"We got her! Isn't this great? Now we can take her to the boss. Oh, I can only imagine the things he'll do to her." He burst out laughing, as though he was talking about something as mundane as the weather. But his words made Marinette feel sick.

Tears of frustration threatened to spill from her eyes. Why hadn't she reported him when he tried to mug her the other night? She should've called the police when she had the chance instead of letting him get away with it. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! _

And now he was taking her to his boss, and who knew what would he do to her? She shuddered at the thought.

She had to get out of here. But how on earth was she going to escape when her hands were bound, not to mention that she was trapped in the back of a moving vehicle? _Think, Marinette, think! _she begged herself desperately.

She became painfully aware of the ring pressing against her neck. Her heart skipped a beat. Of course! Chat Noir had promised to save her if she got into trouble. Her current predicament definitely counted. If only she could reach her phone, she would be able to call _him..._

The car lurched again, the sudden movement sending her flying to the side before the car jerked to a stop without warning. They couldn't have already arrived at their destination, could they? Marinette quickly closed her eyes and pretended that she was still unconscious.

She heard a click, and then the trunk swung open. She felt a man effortlessly pick her up and swing her over his shoulder. No matter how tempted she was to struggle out of his grasp, she forced her body to stay limp so that he wouldn't suspect that she had already woken up. She definitely didn't fancy getting tasered again, that was for sure.

He walked for a couple of paces before dumping her unceremoniously onto the ground. She bit her lip to prevent herself from letting out a gasp of pain.

"Excellent," the man's voice came from somewhere above her. "You go let the boss know. I'll stay and keep watch."

A second man grunted in agreement followed by the sound of heavy footsteps, telling Marinette that he had left. Now that there was only one other man...maybe, just maybe, she would have a chance.

She opened her eyes, finding herself lying on the cold, hard floor of a battered, rectangular-shaped building. Her stomach sank when she realized that they were inside an abandoned warehouse. It was completely empty except for some metal poles and wooden boards that were scattered throughout the building.

"So the sleeping beauty has awoken," the Bubbler sneered at her.

Marinette glanced up, getting a good look at her kidnapper for the first time. The Bubbler wore a red, blue and yellow bodysuit with bubble-like circles attached to his sleeves. His face was hidden behind the hood. "W-What are you going to do to me?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"I can see why the damn cat would take an interest in you," the man said, eying her up and down hungrily. She shivered under his scrutinizing gaze, not liking how he was checking out her body. "But now you'll never see him again, not once the boss is done with you. Did you think you would get away a second time?" She knew he was taunting her.

Her phone buzzed just then, startling both of them. The man snatched it out of her purse. "Is this your phone, bitch?"

She could only nod as her heart sank even further. Now she'd never be able to get her phone... but still, she knew she had to try. She just had to distract him long enough so she could call Chat Noir. "I-It must be my maman," she said. "Can I answer her call? If I don't, she's going to get worried."

The man laughed at her. "Do you really think I would let you take the call, stupid woman?"

_Now! _

As he was distracted by her phone, she leapt up and aimed a kick at his private area as hard as she could. The man cursed and dropped the phone in surprise, using his hands to clutch his private part as he howled in pain. She jumped at the chance and dove down, miraculously managing to catch her phone in her mouth before she scanned the room for somewhere to hide. Besides the thick poles that protruded the ceiling, there wasn't anywhere else that would shelter her body.

But perhaps that would be enough. She ducked behind one of the poles, making sure to hide as far away from the man as possible. Her heart pounded as she struggled to bring her tied-up hands to the front. She dropped to the floor, then leaned forward and folded her legs so she could move her bound hands past her feet and to the front. Phew! At least she now had a little more freedom.

With shaky hands, she unlocked her phone and dialed the number she remembered by heart. She knew she didn't have much time before the man recovered from the pain and came after her.

She held her breath, waiting for him to pick up. Her phone rang once, then twice, then three times. But he still didn't respond.

_Come on, come on, come on!_ She pleaded.

Her heart leapt when she heard a voice spoke from within the phone, but instantly sank when it turned out to be a generic voicemail message. She couldn't even be sure if this was his phone number. Then again, he probably wouldn't announce to the world that he was Chat Noir in his voicemail. This thought reassured her and gave her just a little bit of hope.

As soon as she heard the beep, she took a deep breath and started her message. "C-Chat Noir?" she began, her voice quivering. "I don't know if you still remember me, but I'm M-Marinette. I-I was kidnapped. He's taking me to his boss and I don't know what he'll d-do to me - " she choked back tears as she continued. "P-Please, help me." She ended the message, knowing that all she could do now was wait.

"There you are! Trying to call for help, eh?" the Bubbler growled as he approached her. It appeared that he had already recovered from her surprise attack. "I have to admit that you've got guts, but you're not getting away again. Enjoy your beauty sleep, bitch." He took out his taser and aimed for her again.

Marinette tried to run, but just then, the door opened to reveal two men, both wearing suits and masks. The second man appeared to have periwinkle body paint plastered to his skin.

She froze.

"What is the meaning of this, Bubbler?" one of the men asked coolly. Judging from his demeanor, Marinette guessed that this man must be the Bubbler's boss.

"She tried to call for help, but I got it under control. And look at this, boss! We got Chat Noir's woman for you!" the Bubbler said gleefully.

"This girl is Chat Noir's woman?" Hawk Moth asked skeptically.

The Bubbler nodded and reached for the necklace around Marinette's neck. "She wears his symbol."

Marinette wasn't going to let him touch her again. Using all the force she could muster, she turned her neck and bit down on his hand as hard as she could. He let out a yelp before kicking her in the side and sending her flying to the ground. Marinette screamed out in pain as her body hit the floor with a loud thud.

"Ooh? She's a feisty one, isn't she?" The Bubbler's boss mused, taking a step forward to inspect her. "We could sell her for a fair price."

Marinette paled at what he was suggesting. _No, no, no…_

If she was gone, what would her parents think? What would Alya think? They would probably be worried to death, only to never hear from her again. She couldn't do that to them...

But there was nothing she could do. She didn't know how long it had been since she called Chat Noir, but it felt like forever. Chat Noir…maybe he wasn't coming. Maybe he had forgotten her and their promise.

_I'm sorry, Maman, Papa, Alya…_

Just as Marinette was about to give up, a loud crash sounded above them. All four occupants of the room whipped their heads toward the source of the noise, only to see that a large part of the ceiling had been destroyed and debris was crashing down toward them.

What was happening now!?

Marinette's mouth dropped open in shock as a familiar man donned in a black leather catsuit landed lightly on the ground, his silver baton retracting to its original length as he spun it expertly in his hands.

The boss's eyes bulged as he stared at the newcomer.

"Sorry to crash your little _purr_ty, Hawk Moth. Missed me?" The man spoke, a sly grin spreading across his lips as he pointed his baton at Hawk Moth.

"C-Chat Noir…"

* * *

A/N: I apologize for the delay, but thank you so much for your patience and support! I had a little trouble with this chapter - I wasn't sure how fast to move the plot, but I think it's about time for their reunion ;), This is definitely my favorite chapter so far, and I hope you like it just as much as I enjoyed writing it!

I had all the Akumatized villains work for Hawk Moth, but they're not the original characters (like Nino or Mylene's father) from the show. I couldn't do that to them :(

Let me know what you think with a review?


	6. Chapter 6

"C-Chat Noir…"

Marinette couldn't believe the scene unfolding in front of her eyes, staring as Chat Noir stood protectively in front of her. She had dreamed too many times the moment they would meet again. But as the years went by with not even a word from him – not that she expected one, but a girl could dream - she had started losing hope. But now…he really had come to save her, just as he had promised.

"You remembered..." She murmured, hastily wiping away a tear that had escaped from her eyes. This wasn't the time for crying, she told herself firmly. They had enemies to defeat. But even with the three dangerous criminals standing in front of them, she had a feeling that everything was going to be okay because _he _was here.

Chat Noir's green, catlike eyes flickered to her, wordlessly telling her to hide. Getting the message, she nodded and limped toward the back of the warehouse so she could hide behind one of the metal poles. She winced as she moved, the kick that the Bubbler had landed on her side still sting in pain. She would probably be sore for days. But at least she had only gotten injured. This was nothing compared to almost losing everything, to being _sold_. She shuddered at the memory. A new wave of determination swept through her, and she clenched her hand into a fist. They were going to win if it was the last thing they did.

"Mime, Bubbler! Get him!" Hawk Moth ordered, pointing at Chat Noir. The cat criminal was lounging lazily against his staff while waiting for Hawk Moth's next move.

The Mime pulled out a small, curved knife while the Bubbler readied his taser, then they both lunged for Chat Noir.

"Tch, making your lackies fight for you, Hawk Moth? That's not very nice," Chat Noir drawled, shaking his head in mock disappointment. He leapt for the Bubbler with his staff extended, easily knocking the criminal's taser out of his grasp with a flick of his wrist.

"You bastard," the Bubbler cursed, glowering at Chat Noir as he tried to get his weapon back. The cat burglar took this opportunity to lower his baton to the ground, successfully making the Bubbler trip over it. He let out a yelp of pain as he crashed face-first onto the ground.

"Who's the bastard now?" Chat Noir taunted, a Cheshire grin spreading across his lips.

For a moment, Marinette was completely mesmerized as the fight in front of her took place. She had no idea just exactly how skilled or powerful Chat Noir was, having only heard of his exploits from Alya or on the news. But now, seeing how easily he could dodge the Bubbler's feeble blows, and how his strong muscles rippled as he swiped at the Bubbler with his staff, it definitely looked like he had the upper hand. And it wasn't just that. He was grinning, as though he was actually _enjoying _the fight.

Just as things seemed to be going their way, Marinette gasped when the Mime started running for Chat Noir with his knife pointed straight at him. But he was too preoccupied with the Bubbler to notice.

"Chat Noir, look out!" she screamed. Without thinking, she jumped out from her hiding place to shield him from the knife. At the last minute an idea suddenly sprung to her mind, and she held out her bound hands in front of her. If the Mime aimed just in the right place…She smirked as he slit the ropes that were tied around her hands, finally freeing her.

The Mime growled in frustration and swung his knife at her again. Marinette's eyes widened. Now that she was completely defenseless, she had no way of blocking his attack. What could she do?

Just then, Chat Noir spun around, one arm reaching out for her and pulling her against his chest while blocking the Mime's attack with his baton at the same time.

"Didn't I tell you to hide, little lady?" Chat Noir hissed, so close to her ear that she could feel the heat of his breath. She shivered at their proximity.

"But he was coming after you," she protested, her cheeks no doubt tinged a light pink. "I couldn't watch you get hurt like that. And besides, now I'm free." She held up her hands in front of him triumphantly, grinning from ear to ear.

He blinked at her incredulously, then sighed and shook his head. "You're pretty crazy, you know? And thanks for the concern, little lady, but I can _paw_dle it. Get it? – I mean handle, but cats don't have hands, they have paws, you know?" – Despite the seriousness of their situation, Marinette couldn't help but snort at that – "Anyway. Now, go and hide. This fight will be over soon, I _purr_omise."

Did he really just make freaking cat puns in the middle of a fight? Marinette rolled her eyes at him, then nodded and quickly ran back to her hiding place. She suddenly felt cold now that she was no longer enveloped in his warmth.

She slapped her cheeks to bring her back to her senses. _Stop thinking about that, Marinette!_ She should be thinking about how to help Chat Noir, instead of how his strong arms had been wrapped around her body...

Marinette groaned. She really wasn't helping, was she?

She shook her head, biting her lip as she studied her surroundings. If only there was something she could use to help him with…Her eyes lit up as she spotted the taser that had been abandoned in the corner of the warehouse. If she could reach it, she'd be able to use it as a weapon.

With a smile, she raced towards it.

"Not so fast!"

She sucked in a breath when the Bubbler appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her wrist to stop her. She was sure Chat Noir had knocked him out, so when had he regained consciousness?

His eyes were filled with loathing as he glowered at her. "You're not gonna win, bitch."

"I might not win by myself," she agreed. "But we are going to win together."

Right on cue, Chat Noir's baton extended in her direction and flung the unsuspecting Bubbler to the ground. He struck the other criminal a second time to make sure that he was completely unconscious, before jerking his head back to avoid a blow from the Mime.

Seeing her chance, Marinette dove for the taser, gripping the black handle tightly as though she was never going to let it go. She tipped her head to one side, her mind whirling. Now that she finally obtained the weapon, what could she do with it? She knew she wouldn't have a chance if she tried to attack the Mime in close range – she wasn't that strong, and she had no experience in hand to hand combat. But what if she struck him from afar? She wondered if there was anything she could use to keep the taser activated long enough for her to throw it at the Mime. As she studied the room, she noticed Chat Noir's long, black belt that streamed out behind him as he fought. It looked more like a cat's tail than an actual belt.

"Chat Noir! Can you throw me your belt?" she yelled at him.

"I didn't know you were into _that _kind of thing, little lady," Chat Noir called back teasingly, his suggestive comment making her cheeks burn.

She pouted at him. "This is hardly the time! I meant I needed it to help you!"

He raised an eyebrow questioningly before he untied the belt and tossed it to her while slashing the Mime's arm with his claws at the same time. Marinette managed to catch it in one hand. Now that she had the belt, how could she keep the button on the taser activated?

"What can I use…" She mumbled out loud to herself. She needed something small so that it could stay lodged in place, while carrying enough weight to keep the taser on. She smiled when she realized that she had carried the answer with her all along…

She quickly unclasped her necklace, her neck instantly feeling bare without its presence. She reassured herself that this was what she needed to aid him in the fight.

She carefully pressed the ring against the white button then wrapped the belt around the handle, securing it to make sure it would stay in place. She grinned proudly at her handiwork when the taser began to buzz.

"Chat Noir, duck!" she yelled, and then, threw the taser at the Mime with all the force she could muster. She held her breath as she watched the weapon soar through the air. _Please make it, please make it_! She begged, crossing her fingers behind her back.

_There! _She thanked the gods when the taser struck its target in full force, and the Mime's body jerked violently before he collapsed onto the floor.

"I'm not a duck, I'm a cat," Chat Noir reminded her slyly as he sauntered over to her side. "But I'm impressed, little lady. You got him good."

Her cheeks warmed at his praise. She hurried over to retrieve the taser and unwrapped his belt from its handle. The ring rolled into her palm, and she held onto it tightly. This was the second time his ring had saved her. She smiled fondly as she tied the necklace back around her neck before walking towards Chat Noir.

"Here," she said, handing the belt back to him. She took a deep breath, debating on what she should say. It was funny how despite longing for their reunion for all those years and thinking of all the things she would say to him when she saw him again, she was at a loss for words. "Chat Noir, thank you. I – "

"Damn bastard. He's already gone." Chat Noir growled suddenly as he swept his eyes around the room.

"Who's gone?" Marinette asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Hawk Moth," Chat Noir elaborated, nodding at the wide-open door. "He must've escaped during the commotion."

Marinette's eyes widened in surprise. How could she have forgotten about him? Well, not that she could blame herself. After all, she did have many problems she had to deal with, like how to beat those criminals, and Chat Noir…

"I'm so sorry! I can't believe I didn't notice," she groaned out loud, burying her face in her hands.

Chat Noir leaned toward her and patted her head. "It's not your fault, Marinette. You were great."

Her heart somersaulted at his words. He'd just called her Marinette. He had called her Marinette. Not little lady, but _Marinette_. She blushed, deciding that she liked how her name sounded from his lips. Her cheeks flamed as she recalled how he had promised he would call her by her name when they met again. He really had kept his word…

"Shall we get out of here?" Chat Noir asked, offering her his hand.

Marinette hesitated, gazing worriedly back at the limp bodies of the Mime and the Bubbler lying in a heap on the floor. "Will they be okay?"

"Let's just say the Paris Police Prefecture will get an early Christmas present," Chat Noir said slyly. "C'mon, let's get you out of here. Same place, right?"

She nodded, surprised that he actually remembered the bakery. She reached for his hand, letting out an embarrassed squeak when he effortlessly scooped her into his arms, bridal style.

And then they were flying.

* * *

Chat Noir leapt out of the building through the hole he had created, using his staff to propel them through the air. Marinette squeezed her eyes shut and clung to him tightly as he sprang from one roof to another, each leap making her stomach drop. She definitely preferred to having both her feet on the ground than in the air, that was for certain.

She breathed a sigh of relief when he stopped at a public phone booth, where he asked her to call the police to report the location of the two criminals. But just as they resumed their journey back to her home, he stopped and scanned the area warily.

"What's wrong?" Marinette asked as she felt his body tense.

"Someone's coming," Chat Noir whispered, covering Marinette's mouth with a gloved hand.

She stilled as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him before darting behind a tall, brick chimney. They stood with their bodies pressed together, holding their breaths as they waited for whoever it was to pass by.

They were so close that she could hear the pounding of his heart. Her breath caught. Was his heart beating so fast because of their current situation, or was it because she was so close to him? She was suddenly very glad that it was dark so he wouldn't be able to see her flaming cheeks.

"Do you see them?" an unfamiliar male voice spoke nearby, breaking Marinette out of her daydream.

"Not a hair," a second voice answered the first. They sounded close, too close. If they took even one step further, they would see the two figures hiding behind the chimney…

Chat Noir tightened his grip on his trusted weapon as their footsteps approached.

"Damn. We were so close, too. Maybe they went that way?" The first voice suggested as their footsteps rapidly faded into the distance.

Chat Noir let go of her as soon as the other criminals had gone. "That damn bastard doesn't know when to give up, does he?" he muttered, more to himself than to her. He then turned to her and added grimly, "We might have a problem, little lady. It looks like Hawk Moth's lackies will be scouring the streets for you tonight."

Marinette wrapped her arms around herself, her heart sinking in dismay. If they headed for the bakery, there was no doubt that the criminals would follow her and discover where she lived. Maman…Papa… She couldn't get her innocent parents involved in her troubles. "If that's the case, then I can't go home," she decided out loud. "If I do, they might come after us and hurt my parents. I can't let that happen."

His eyes softened, just a little. "You really do worry more about others than yourself, don't you? Well…if you insist…there might be one other way," he said, tapping his chin with his finger thoughtfully. "They'd expect me to take you home, right? But instead, we'll stay at a motel and make our move in the morning. How does that sound, little lady? Will your parents let you stay out for the night…with a criminal like me?"

Her heart jumped at what he was suggesting. If they followed his plan, that meant that she would be staying with Chat Noir, alone, in a hotel room. The rational side of her insisted that this was a bad idea - this was Chat Noir, she reminded herself. At the end of the day, he was still a criminal. But she couldn't deny that he had saved her that night. And that showed that he really wasn't a bad person, right?

"I…yes. I think I can come up with something," Marinette said before she could change her mind, then frowned. "But would it be safe for you to be out in the morning?"

Chat Noir smirked at her, revealing two rows of perfect, white teeth. "Who are you taking me for, little lady? No other criminal would dare to wander the streets of Paris in the daytime. But you're forgetting that I'm Chat Noir, Paris's number one. I'm not afraid of a little sunlight."

"If that's the case," she mumbled, blushing.

Chat Noir stretched his arms high into the air. "Come on, let's go before Hawk Moth sends more criminals after us. May I?"

She nodded, and he scooped her into his arms again before running and leaping for the next rooftop. It didn't take long before he landed nimbly in front of an old, battered motel. According to a bright neon sign, the name of the motel was _Motel Akuma_. Talk about conspicuous, Marinette couldn't help thinking as she took in the scene in front of her.

"They won't look for us here," Chat Noir said as he gently set Marinette on her feet. He unzipped a pocket hidden in the side of his catsuit and pulled out a few bills. "Can you get a room for us, little lady? I would go myself, but with this catsuit and all they'd probably _cat_ch me before I could say 'mouse', if you know what I mean. This should be enough…but if not, give me a call."

Marinette reached for the bills, then wavered as the news article on him robbing the Paris National Bank flashed through her mind. This couldn't be part of what he had stolen, could it?

"It's not what you think, little lady. I may be a criminal, but I do make my own money, you know." He reassured her, as though he had read her mind.

Marinette groaned. Was she that easy to read? She flushed in embarrassment, quickly taking the money from him before she opened the double glass doors and walked into the small lobby.

There was a typical front desk in the back of the lobby, as well as a few chairs that looked like they were about to fall apart. The room was empty - Marinette wasn't surprised that there was no one there considering how late it was - besides the receptionist, an old man wearing a red Hawaiian shirt, who was sitting behind the front desk and typing away on a keyboard.

She approached the front desk hesitantly.

"Can I help you?" The man asked, gazing at her through dark brown eyes. Marinette noted that his name tag said _Fu_.

"I-Can I get a room? With two single beds?" she stammered, playing with her fingers nervously. She didn't know why, but she had the feeling that he was looking into her very soul.

He turned to the computer and typed away furiously for a few seconds before glancing back at her. "Sorry, I'm afraid we're out. But we do have a room with a single king-sized bed if that works for you?"

A single bed… Marinette instantly blushed as she imagined having to share the bed with Chat Noir. Before she could stop herself, she blurted, "I-No-Yes!"

"Excellent! That will be one hundred Euros for one night," Mr. Fu beamed at her.

She took out the bills Chat Noir had given her and counted them carefully. One hundred…two hundred…three hundred... her eyes bulged. He had given her five hundred Euros, which was definitely more than enough to pay for the motel. She picked out one of the hundred bills and handed it to Mr. Fu. He grinned at her and deposited it into the cash register.

"Are you here with _him_?" he asked suddenly, not looking up from where he was getting out the key.

Marinette's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't possibly know she was here with Chat Noir, could he? "I-I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about," she mumbled, not meeting his eyes. She was terrible at lying, but there was no way she could tell him the truth, either. Who knew what he would do if he found out she was in cahoots with a criminal like Chat Noir?

"Well, if you say so," Mr. Fu said. She thanked the gods that he didn't push it further, but his eyes were glinting knowingly as though he knew exactly what she was hiding. She gulped as he gave her the key card, and practically ran out as soon as he bade her good night.

She didn't stop running until she was far away from the lobby, but she couldn't resist glancing back in the direction she had come. Mr. Fu...who on earth was he? She shook her head. She could worry about that later. It was late, and getting some sleep was definitely more important than thinking about the strange motel receptionist.

Just as she was debating if she should call for Chat Noir, he dropped down in front of her out of nowhere. She yelped in surprise and clutched her chest with one hand.

"Sorry, did I scare you?" he asked, amusement dancing in his eyes. He didn't sound very sorry at all.

"Showoff," she muttered, rolling her eyes as she held up the key card for him. They quickly located the correct room and stopped by the door.

"Shall we?" Chat Noir asked, grinning as he took the card and unlocked the door.

Marinette followed him slowly, then paused by the doorway when she remembered that they had gotten a room with a single bed. Just what exactly had she gotten herself into?

* * *

A/N: I'm so sorry for the delay! I was traveling, and then I had interviews for a new job OTL. Thank you all so much again for your patience and support! Hope this chapter is worth the wait :)

Next chapter preview - Marinette spends the night with Chat Noir...What could happen? ;)

Let me know what you think with a review?


	7. Chapter 7

Chat Noir walked into the motel room, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw the single, king-sized bed sitting innocently in the center of the room. To anyone else, a single bed would be perfectly normal – this was the perfect size for a single person, or even for a couple. But for the two of them, this was no doubt especially dangerous.

"Mmph! Why'd you stop, Chat Noir?" Marinette complained, accidentally crashing face-first into his back due to his sudden stopping. Her cheeks reddened at the contact and she leapt back to create some distance between them.

"A single bed, little lady? I didn't know you were _that_ bold," Chat Noir purred, turning his head to catch her gaze. He remembered how sassy she had been as a little girl, and how she was even now, not backing down even when she'd faced dangerous criminals. And the best part was that he was the one who was able to get her so ruffled up. It was so tempting to tease her to see her reaction.

"I-what-no! It's not my fault the receptionist told me they didn't have any more rooms with two beds!" she spluttered, her cheeks burning even more.

"That scheming old geezer," Chat Noir muttered. This had to be Master Fu's doing. He would never tell Marinette his connection to the old man, at least, not yet. Master Fu was his mentor, the person he turned to when his father wasn't there for him - which was almost all the time, now that he thought about it. The reason why he had become a criminal was to get away from his father, to get the freedom that Adrien could never experience.

As Adrien, he was forced to live a perfect life and be wary of every move, due to his constantly being under the spotlight. And he hated it. He felt like he was trapped, locked away in his room and not having a say in what he truly desired. His father decided all his coursework for him, whether it was fencing, piano, or Chinese, and even scheduled every aspect of his daily life - it was photoshoot after photoshoot after photoshoot. He had even been homeschooled until he finally obtained the courage to persuade his father to let him attend a public school.

That was what led him to sought out his freedom, and he found that in the form of Chat Noir. As Chat Noir, he could do everything he ever wanted without being judged. He could steal and get away with it. He could flirt with any girl without her being labeled as his latest fling.

It thrilled him.

And that was what he desired more than anything else in life.

As for his relationship with the motel receptionist...He'd stumbled into Master Fu's hotel one night, after he had almost gotten caught in one of his earliest crimes of robbing a jewelry store. The old man had let him stay the night and even took care of his injuries. In return, Chat Noir offered to keep him company, and they had formed a bond over the years. While Master Fu wasn't exactly supportive of Chat Noir's "part time job", he was understanding of the criminal's desire for freedom. And that was all that mattered.

Master Fu was the who let him stay at his motel all those years ago, after he had been injured by Hawk Moth and had nowhere to go. After leaving Marinette's bakery that night, he had staggered to the motel, still delirious from the pain.

_"Chat Noir! What happened?" Master Fu asked, running to his side as he collapsed by the motel's reception desk. _

_"H-Hawk Moth. I was ambushed on the way back. He sent four of his underlings after me," he managed through gritted teeth. The pain was killing him. He'd managed, somehow, to hide it in front of Marinette, but now he felt even worse. "I can't go home yet. If my father finds me in this state, he would definitely start asking questions. Can I crash here for the night?" _

_"You know you're always welcome here, Chat Noir. But what of your injuries? That looks bad. You should get it treated." Master Fu bent down next to him to inspect the wound, then looked up at him in surprise. "Someone's treated it? You didn't go to a hospital, did you?" _

_"Of course I wouldn't go to a hospital!" Chat Noir snapped irritably. The pain was making him crabby. "Who are you taking me for?"_

_"I have complete faith in you, Chat Noir," Master Fu said. Chat Noir narrowed his eyes, not knowing whether to take the old man's words as a compliment, or if he was just being sarcastic. "Are you going to tell me who the lucky guy who treated your wound was?" _

_He debated if it would be wise to tell Master Fu about Marinette. She was just an innocent little girl, she had nothing to do with his world, and he didn't want to drag her into something she wasn't prepared for. But Master Fu just so happened to be the type who would not give up until he discovered the truth. It would be better to just tell him now, otherwise he would just find the answer himself, no matter what it took for him to do so. _

_"A girl helped me," he admitted finally. _

_"Oh, a girl, huh?" Master Fu repeated, his eyes twinkling. _

_Chat Noir scowled at him. Of course the old man would be interested the moment he mentioned someone of the opposite gender. "It's not what you think! She's only eight!" _

_"She's got good needlework," Master Fu remarked, eyeing the delicate stitches Marinette had made. "And she's only eight? I'm impressed."_

_"I suppose," he agreed, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible as he ran a hand along the stitches. They were a little shaky, but she really had done a good job for someone so young. _

_"Will I get to meet her one day?" Master Fu asked suddenly. _

_"No. At least, I hope not. I don't want to get her involved." Chat Noir said firmly, making up his mind. He would see to it that she would never need to call for him. _

_The receptionist merely grinned at him. "We'll see, Chat Noir. We'll see." _

_"_What was that?" Marinette asked now, breaking him out of his thoughts and bringing him back to their current situation. No matter how he looked at it, there were two of them, and only one bed.

Damn it.

"Nothing," he dismissed her concern quickly. She didn't have to know that he was friends with the receptionist who forced this predicament upon them for his own amusement. Knowing the old man, he probably had even installed security cameras somewhere in the room and was watching them right now. He loved Master Fu, but sometimes he wished the old man could go to hell. That bastard. "You take the bed. I'm just gonna keep watch anyway."

She shook her head stubbornly. "You were fighting for me, Chat Noir. You must be tired, too. You should take the bed and get some rest. I'll...sleep on the floor."

She was concerned about _him_, Chat Noir, France's most wanted criminal...Just the thought made him feel strangely warm inside. But he quickly shook his head to get these foreign emotions out of his mind. No, he had vowed to keep his distance from her. And that was just what he was going to do.

"You're not arguing with me," he insisted, striding forward so that he loomed over her petite frame. Her eyes widened as he approached her, and she backed against the wall behind them. "I got this room, so I'm deciding how the bed should be used. And you're taking it."

"But - "

"No buts," he interrupted, pressing a clawed finger against her lips to prevent her from protesting. "You go ahead. Let me just check something, then I'll be out of your way. You won't even notice that I'm here."

Judging from the evil looks she was shooting him, she clearly wasn't happy with his decision, but he shrugged and headed into the bathroom. He glanced quickly around the tiny room - it really was a small space; he made a mental note to complain to Master Fu and have him remodel the damn motel - grunting in satisfaction when he saw that there weren't any suspicious cameras hiding in the corners, and returned to the bedroom.

"I'm off, but call me if you need me, alright?" he informed Marinette, who had now slumped down on the bed and was staring into the distance. She hadn't seemed to have heard him return. "Little lady?"

"I...they almost kidnapped me and sold me, didn't they?" she whispered, more to herself than to him. Her entire body shook, and she hugged herself a little tighter.

He stopped in front of the door, his heart twisting at how terrified she must have been feeling. She really had put on a brave front when fighting those criminals. But now that the adrenaline was gone, everything must've hit her at once.

Dammit. He was determined to keep his distance, but how could he when she was hurting so much?

His feet seemed to move of their own accord. He didn't even notice until he found himself sitting down on the bed next to her.

"It's okay," he reassured her, one hand reaching toward her without thinking. She flinched at his sudden contact, but to his relief, she didn't pull away. He took this as a sign to pull her closer towards him. "You're forgetting who I am, little lady." He lifted her chin, forcing her to look up at him. Her usually bright bluebell eyes stretched wide with uncertainty. "I made a promise to protect you, and I'm intending to keep that promise. I won't let some lowly criminals kidnap you."

"Thank you, Chat Noir," she said softly. "I...if I was gone, what would my parents think? They'd be so sad. Alya, too."

She was more concerned about her parents than her own feelings. She really was too selfless for her own good.

But...what could he say to make her feel better? To lighten up the mood, he reached up and flicked her forehead. She yelped in surprise and glared at him, clutching her forehead gingerly. "Hey! What was that for?"

"Didn't I just say that I'll be here to protect you? I won't let those bastards take you away. So stop worrying about your parents and your friend, and worry about yourself for once, okay?" he said gruffly. "Go get some sleep. I'll be right here."

She tried to smile, but her smile turned into a giant yawn instead. She hadn't realized how exhausted she was until he told her to get some sleep. "Sleep sounds nice," she mumbled, collapsing onto the bed in exhaustion. She hesitated, then turned to gaze back at him, suddenly feeling rather shy at what she was about to ask him. "Chat Noir? Could...Could you stay here with me tonight?"

Chat Noir raised an eyebrow at her. She hastily corrected herself and added, blushing, "N-Not like that! I mean, I just don't want to be alone tonight..."

In the back of his mind, he decided that he liked seeing how rosy her cheeks turned because of him. Quickly dismissing the thought, he nodded and smirked at her. "Well, if you put it that way, I don't mind staying here."

She smiled for the first time that night and snuggled into the blanket, sighing contentedly as warmth enveloped her. Chat Noir gazed at her fondly as she escaped into the world of dreams, oblivious to the thoughts whirling in his mind...

* * *

At least, Chat Noir had expected her to have fallen asleep. But how could she, when the man she'd had a crush on since childhood was sitting so close to her? She cracked one eye open and peeked at him, breathing out in relief when she saw that his back was facing her.

She took this opportunity to study his physique, noticing how broad and strong his back was, and appreciating how his sleek leather suit accentuated the sturdy muscles in his arms. He had definitely changed from the boy she'd met as a child. With the moonlight seeping through the window's blinds and casting a shadow over him, he appeared...almost lonely.

Her heart ached for him. She wondered what his life was like during the daytime. Did he hang out with his friends? What about his family? She longed to learn more about him, but he seemed to have shut himself off from her. Would he ever open up to her?

Lost in her thoughts, Marinette almost fell out of the bed when her phone suddenly started ringing loudly. She'd completely forgotten about it! She grabbed it from her bag and stared at it as though it was a bomb that was about to explode - curse her phone for interrupting the peaceful moment!

Chat Noir spun around at the noise, relaxing once he realized that it was only her phone. He nodded for her to answer it, and she picked it up, letting out a breath when she saw that it was only Alya.

"A-Alya? What's up?" she asked, trying to sound as normal as she could. But even though she tried her best, her voice still sounded a little strained. She groaned inwardly, hoping Alya wouldn't catch on.

"Girl, do you know how late it is!? Where are you? Your parents are worried sick!" Alya demanded instantly.

Marinette glanced guiltily at Chat Noir, knowing that there was no way she could tell Alya the truth. She didn't want her friend to worry about her. "I...I forgot to tell them that I'm spending the night at a friend's," she lied.

"You forgot? Who's this friend you're staying with?" Alya asked.

"A...boy." Marinette choked out. Well, at least that part wasn't a lie, she told herself in an attempt to feel better. Only she didn't feel better, not at all. But knowing Alya, if she told her that she was staying with a boy, her friend would no doubt be eager to help her hide the truth from her parents.

She sneaked a glance at Chat Noir, who appeared rather amused by her uncomfortable squirming. She groaned inwardly.

"A boy, eh? Is this that boy whom you have a crush on, or is this boy Adrien Agreste?" Alya pressed, instantly interested.

"Neither!" she spluttered at once. "It's...someone else." She couldn't very well tell Alya that it was the boy she had a crush on in front of Chat Noir! That would be too embarrassing. "But anyway! Do you think you could help me? Say...can you tell my parents that I'm staying with you tonight?" she pleaded. "I'll make it up to you, I promise!"

Alya took her time in answering, and Marinette had a feeling she was doing it on purpose to spite her. Finally, after a pregnant pause, she said, "Alright, but you owe me big time for this, Mari."

Marinette would've hugged Alya if she was with her. "Thank you, thank you, Alya! I promise you can have as many macarons from the bakery as you'd like!"

"You have to tell me all the details, too!" Alya implored.

"N-Nothing's happened, really!" The bluenette denied at once, waving her hands in front of her furiously.

She almost squeaked when she suddenly felt Chat Noir lean in toward her, his eyes sparkling with amusement. Oh no. She didn't like that look one bit. "Nothing's happened, you say?" he said slyly, purposely brushing his lips against her ear and sending a pleasant shiver down her spine. "Then...who has been staring at me for the past, let's see, thirty minutes?"

Uh oh. She'd been caught.

"Who's there?" Alya breathed in excitement, having heard Chat Noir's comment. "Let me talk to him for a second, Marinette!"

"N-No!" Marinette squealed, raising her arm to keep her phone away from the thief. But Chat Noir was faster, and snatched it expertly out from her hand. He must be getting back at her for her earlier staring, Marinette thought with a groan.

"Hi, is this Alya?" he asked casually, as though he wasn't France's top wanted thief currently sitting on Marinette's bed.

Marinette wanted to bury herself inside a hole and hide in it forever.

"Yes!" Alya gushed from the other end of the phone. "Who's this?"

"Oh, don't mind me," he said, clearly enjoying himself as he winked at Marinette. "I'm a friend. We're just working on some..._homework_ together."

Marinette hid her face behind her hands, her face feeling hotter than a million suns. She couldn't bring herself to listen to the conversation anymore.

"Well, if you do anything to hurt her, I won't forgive you!" Alya warned threateningly, jumping into her protective big sister mode. As an only child, Marinette was appreciative that Alya always went out of her way for her.

Chat Noir's grin spread wider across his lips. "You don't have to worry about that, Alya. I won't hurt her, I promise." Even though Marinette knew he was just playing along, his words still made her feel warm and fuzzy inside. "But isn't it getting a little late? She needs her rest, you know."

"Oh! Of course! I'll leave you two to it, then," Alya said suggestively. "Tell her I said bye!" With that, she ended the call, leaving the two of them alone to their devices.

Marinette glared at Chat Noir as he lazily tossed her phone back to her. "You did that on purpose, didn't you!" She accused, pointing a finger in his direction.

"I wasn't the one who was staring," he drawled, raising an eyebrow at her.

"I wasn't!" she said quickly, blushing under his questioning stare. "Urgh, you're impossible! I'm going to sleep!" She fell onto the bed dramatically and turned her back to him.

And this time, she really did fall asleep.

* * *

A/N: I'm so, so sorry for the delay! I just started a new job and things have been pretty hectic, but I'm back with another chapter! Hope this was worth the wait~ :) I also wanted to say thank you for all your wonderful reviews so far! You've all made my day!

Next chapter preview - everything goes back to normal for Marinette, or does it? She's missing a certain kitty very much...

Let me know what you think with a review?


	8. Chapter 8

Chat Noir stormed into the motel lobby, glaring furiously at the receptionist slash motel owner sitting innocently behind the front desk. He'd taken advantage of the fact that Marinette was currently asleep to pay him a visit.

"You - "

Before he could speak, Master Fu cut him off gleefully. "Ah, I knew it! That girl's with you, isn't she?"

"How did you know?" Chat Noir asked, narrowing his eyes at the old man.

He chuckled, stroking his long, grey beard as though he was deep in thought. But Chat Noir had a feeling that Master Fu was just taking his time in answering to get on his nerves. "She had a few hundred bills with her, but she didn't seem like the type to carry that much cash. In fact, she looked surprised when she was counting them. Someone probably gave them to her. I put the pieces together and figured that you had something to do with it. I've seen my fair share of guests, you know," he explained smugly, guessing what Chat Noir was about to ask.

"That doesn't mean you could just give us a room with one bed! What the hell were you thinking?" The thief hissed, slamming a fist onto the counter. If it wasn't made out of steel, it would have smashed into pieces. Master Fu didn't even flinch.

"She's smart, that one," Master Fu remarked casually, inspecting his nails and pretending they were the most interesting things in the world. "I asked if she was here with you, and she pretended she had no idea what I was talking about. She was trying to protect you, you know."

Chat Noir scowled. He hated to admit it, but Master Fu was right. Marinette was the type of girl who would think of others before herself. He'd witnessed first hand how horrible she was at lying from her conversation with Alya the night before. But she'd lied for him...

She really was a good girl. Too good, he reminded himself. She was too good for him. He didn't deserve someone as selfless and kind as Marinette, not after everything he had done.

"Why'd you bring her here, Chat Noir? I take it it wasn't because you wanted me to meet her, eh?" Master Fu asked, referring to the conversation they shared all those years ago.

Chat Noir hesitated, contemplating how to answer his question. He hadn't wanted Master Fu to get involved, but the old man was sharp - he had already figured out that there was something going on. There was no point in hiding the truth now. "Hawk Moth is after her," he finally admitted, clenching his hand into a fist so tight that the sharp claws dug into his skin. "I don't know if I told you this before, but I gave her my ring when she saved me. But now...she's become his target because he thinks she's my woman."

"Oh? And is she? Your woman, I mean?" Master Fu asked, his eyes sparkling. He had to ask that question first.

"No! I...I can't drag her into my world. You've already seen the danger she's been put in because of me," Chat Noir insisted.

"Then you know what you'd have to do, right?" Master Fu reminded him sadly.

Of course he knew. He knew, yet a part of him almost didn't want to. It would cause him - not just him, but her, too - so much pain.._._

* * *

Marinette awoke the next morning to the sound of her phone buzzing. Her phone sure had been ringing a lot lately, she mused...and then her eyes widened when she checked the time. It was 7:30 AM. Crap, she was going to be late for school!

She sat up with a jolt, looking dazedly around the foreign room as she wondered where on earth she was. That was when memories from last night struck her.

That's right. She had stayed the night at a motel, the Motel Akuma to be exact, with Chat Noir, the man she had had a crush on since she was eight. _Chat Noir! _Her cheeks flamed at the thought, and she quickly slapped her cheeks to wake herself up. _Stop dreaming, girl! It's not like anything happened last night!_

And, knowing her luck, of course nothing happened last night. After her phone call with Alya, she had been so exhausted that she had promptly fallen asleep and didn't wake up until morning. It was the first time she had slept so well in a long time, knowing that Chat Noir was there to protect her. But thanks to her falling asleep, she didn't get even one chance to actually talk to him, or ask the thousand questions she'd been dying to ask.

Her cheeks flushed as a thought suddenly crossed her mind. Wait a minute. She didn't drool in her sleep, did she? Or what if she had said something in her sleep, like profess her love to him? Oh gods, that would be so embarrassing!

And speaking of the thief_..._Where was he anyway?

She glanced around to find that he was nowhere in sight. She panicked, wondering if he had left her alone and defenseless inside the motel room. He wouldn't do something like that, would he? _No, he's not like that_, she told herself firmly. Chat Noir was a lot of things - calculating, cunning, and dangerous, but he never backed down from his word. He'd promised to protect her, and he had kept his promise. He wouldn't just leave her now.

She relaxed when she heard the bathroom door swing open, revealing the missing cat burglar.

"You're awake, little lady," he said in way of greeting, running a hand through his wet, blond hair. He must've taken the opportunity to shower while she'd been asleep.

"I...I thought you'd left," she mumbled, dropping her gaze to the floor. Of course he wouldn't leave without a good reason.

"You know I wouldn't leave you," he reassured her, walking toward her and patting her head with his hand. Even though he was trying to reassure her, she could detect a tightness in his voice, as though he was hiding something. Not wanting to dwell on it, she quickly shook her head. She must've imagined it.

She noticed that he wasn't wearing his black gloves. He must've taken his suit off while he had been showering, she thought, enjoying the feeling of his long, smooth fingers in her hair. She blushed as an image of him showering popped into her mind, and she quickly pushed it away. _Now wasn't the time to be thinking about that_, she chided.

He cast her a sideways glance before he continued, "Now that you're up, we should get going. You have school today, right?"

"School?" Marinette furrowed her brows in confusion, then her eyes widened. "R-Right! School! I-I almost forgot!" she squeaked, making a mad dash for the bathroom.

He smirked at her flustered expression. She really was too endearing. "Well, go ahead and get ready. We'll head out when you're done."

She shut the bathroom door and leaned against it to calm her racing heart. Once she caught her breath, she quickly splashed her face with water to wake herself up. After she finished getting ready, she opened the door and stepped out into the room. Chat Noir was waiting patiently for her as she walked toward him.

"Shall we, little lady?" he asked with a smirk, offering his hand to her.

Her stomach churned at the thought of them leaping over roofs again. A part of her wished that they didn't have to. If only they could stay here, in the motel, forever... She shook her head. This was something she had to do. She swallowed nervously and nodded, taking a hesitant step closer to him.

She clung tightly to him as he extended his baton and propelled them into the sky.

* * *

"We're here, little lady," his deep voice spoke as he gently pried her fingers off his shoulder.

She didn't realize how tightly she had been gripping onto him. The journey back to her bakery had definitely not been a very fun one. She had nearly died of fright when, without warning, he'd dropped down to the ally below. He'd explained that it was because someone had nearly spotted them and he had to hide. But that didn't mean he had to scare her half to death, she thought, pouting in annoyance.

At least they had somehow managed to survive the rest of the journey and landed on her balcony in one piece. She had to admit that she was impressed how he was able to maneuver his way through the bustling city without getting them caught once.

"I promised I'd bring you back, didn't I?" He continued with a smirk, clearly enjoying himself. While she had been scared witless, he seemed to be having fun. She glared at him. The jerk.

Marinette nodded sullenly. During their journey back, he had been oddly silent, and now he was gazing at her with an almost sad expression. She didn't know why, but she couldn't help but get the feeling that, after he left today, she was never going to see him again. But this was just her imagination, right? They'd finally met again. He wasn't just going to leave now, was he?

Before Chat Noir opened the trapdoor for her, he paused and turned back to face her solemnly. "Look, little lady. I've been thinking, and...I hate to say this, but Hawk Moth isn't the type to give up. He tried to kidnap you once, and he'll do it again."

"I-I know," she agreed, holding her breath. She didn't like where their conversation was going, not one bit. But there was nothing she could do except wait for him to continue.

"The only way to protect you is if you're not involved with me. So...I'll have to take this back." He reached forward, so close that his soft blond hair tickled her cheek, and then pulled back again with something clenched in his hand.

Marinette gasped when her neck suddenly felt bare. Her hand jumped to her throat, her heart sinking when her finger brushed against skin instead of the usual metal charm. He had taken the ring from her, leaving the gold necklace still in its place. His movements had been so quick that she hadn't even felt anything. "H-How did you - ?"

He leaned close to rasp in her ear, "Don't forget that I'm a thief, little lady."

"I-no! Don't do this, Chat Noir!" she protested. "I...it was your ring that protected me, you know!"

"But it also brought you trouble. And, like you said, it's my ring. I'm only taking back what's mine," he countered, playing with the ring that now rested in his palm. "I see you've taken good care of it, little lady. You have my thanks."

He was going to leave, and there was nothing Marinette could do to stop him. But she didn't want him to go, not yet. Not when they'd finally found each other again. But what could she say to bring him back? He had already fulfilled his end of the promise. There was nothing more between them...Unless...

She knew it probably wouldn't work, but she had to try.

"Your ring isn't the only thing that's yours, you know!" she blurted in desperation. "After all, you've already stolen my heart..." she trailed off, covering her mouth with her hands when she realized what she had said.

Chat Noir hesitated for the briefest of moments, so brief that she wondered if she had imagined it. But then he shook his head. "Will you do me a favor and close your eyes, little lady? I'm going to count down from ten, and then I'll be gone. You won't even see me leave."

Her mind screamed at her to protest, to say anything to keep him there, but her eyes fluttered close almost on their own accord. There was something so alluring about his deep voice that made her want to follow his every command.

She held her breath as he began to count, in a manner that was painfully slow, "Ten...nine...eight..."

His voice seemed to be getting closer. "Seven...six...five..."

Her breath caught and her heart thumped louder as she felt his hot breath against her ear. "Four...three...two..."

He suddenly fell silent. It almost became too unbearable. Should she open her eyes? Perhaps he was already gone...No, she chided herself. She had promised she would keep her eyes closed. So that was what she would do - close her eyes till the very end, even if it was going to be the death of her.

"..._One_."

Something warm and soft brushed against her lips, so light and quick that she almost thought it could've been the wind. And yet, she had a feeling that it wasn't just the wind from how fast her heart was pounding. A voice, thick with emotion, whispered close to her ear, "Your heart is the only thing in this world that I'm not cut out to steal, Marinette."

And then the warmth was gone.

She blinked and opened her eyes to find herself alone in her bedroom. She reached a hand to her lips, dazedly wondering what that warm sensation had been.

Wait a minute...

Chat Noir hadn't just kissed her, had he!? And after he'd just said that he wasn't cut out to steal her heart!

"You jerk!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. Not that he could hear her, she reminded herself.

He was gone.

* * *

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, I've loved hearing your thoughts on the story! Hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

(Fun fact: the last scene in this chapter was inspired by an otome game called London Detective Mysteria! One of the characters is a gentleman thief who takes an interest in the MC. I highly recommend this game if you love fluff hehehe)

Next chapter preview - everything goes back to normal for Marinette, or does it? She's missing a certain kitty very much...

Let me know what you think with a review?


	9. Chapter 9

Chat Noir was gone.

She was never going to see him again...

Marinette stumbled into the kitchen in a daze, still not believing, no, refusing to believe what had just transpired on her balcony. He couldn't have just left her, could he? Not after she had just found him again after all those years!

She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't even notice that her parents were standing in the kitchen until they rounded on her.

"Marinette, where have you been?" Tom demanded sternly, flinging his arms around her in a tight hug.

"We were worried sick!" Sabine added, her voice filled with concern.

Marinette tried to smile sheepishly, but she felt horrible under their glares. She hadn't wanted to tell them the truth, but she'd ended up worrying them all the same. "I was - at a friend's," she choked out, her throat feeling dry by her lie.

Her mother frowned at her. "Did you realize we were about to send out a search party before Alya called us to let us know you were safe? The least you could've done was tell us where you were!"

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, squirming uncomfortably. She hated lying, especially to her parents. But the last thing she could do was to tell them was the truth. _I'm sorry, Maman, Papa... _"We were working on homework and I lost track of the time. I didn't realize how late it was, and I didn't want to bother you guys."

"We appreciate your consideration for us, but please keep us informed the next time you stay with a friend," her father said sternly before adding, "And you're grounded for the next week!"

"I will," she mumbled sullenly. She couldn't argue with her parents for grounding her when she understood where they were coming from. Besides, this was barely anything compared to the danger she had almost been in. If Hawk Moth had kidnapped her, she would have gotten into far more trouble than just being grounded. "I'm really sorry, Maman, Papa."

"As long as it doesn't happen again, sweetie," Sabine murmured, leaning down to kiss her on the top of her head. "We love you, Marinette. We were so worried."

"I'm so sorry. And I love you guys, too," Marinette whispered, burying her face into her father's warm chest. She hesitated before asking her next request. "I-Can I stay home today? I don't feel well," she begged. She wasn't ready to face her friends at school, not after what had happened with Chat Noir.

Her mother gazed at her with concern in her warm eyes. "Is everything okay, sweetie?"

"I-I'll be okay," she mumbled. "I'm just tired. Can I stay home today, please?"

Her parents exchanged a worried glance, then turned back to their daughter. Marinette was the type of girl who didn't miss school for anything, so something was clearly wrong for her to not want to attend the school that she loved so much.

Sabine pulled Marinette into a reassuring hug. "Oh, sweetie," she murmured. "Does this have anything to do with a boy?" she guessed. Marinette groaned inwardly. Trust her mother to know what was troubling her.

At the mention of Chat Noir, she nodded glumly and burst into tears. She still couldn't wrap her head around the idea that she would never see him again.

"I-I had a crush on this guy," she sobbed. This part was true, at least. Her parents didn't have to know that the object of her affections was a notorious thief by the name of Chat Noir. "But he didn't like me back." She winced. Saying it out loud hurt even more. At least, in her mind, she could pretend that what had happened wasn't real. But admitting it out loud made it even more painful.

"A boy!" her father boomed angrily. "Who is this boy? I'll slap some sense into him for rejecting our daughter!"

"Tom!" Sabine scolded him sharply, then turned and patted Marinette's head soothingly. "Of course you can stay home today, sweetie. And don't worry. Even if this boy doesn't like you, I promise that there is a guy out there who will love and cherish you as much as we love you."

Marinette couldn't help but think back to when Chat Noir had patted her head, and how butterflies had fluttered wildly in her stomach from his simple touch. It was funny how the same action from two different people could elicit such different feelings to bubble inside her.

She sighed and looked up at her mother. She didn't think such a boy would exist, not after Chat Noir had turned her down. She probably couldn't ever bring herself to fall so deeply for another boy again... "Do you really think so?" she asked doubtfully.

Sabine smiled warmly and nodded. "I don't just think so, sweetie. I know so."

Marinette breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Maman! Thank you, Papa!"

"Try to get some more rest if you can. I'll bring some hot chocolate up for you later, dear," her mother offered with a smile.

She gave her parents a quick kiss on their cheeks before she climbed up the stairs that lead to her attic bedroom. She collapsed onto her bed and buried her face into her soft pillow.

"What am I going to do?" she whispered into the silent room, not expecting a response. She'd liked Chat Noir for all this time, since she was a little girl. But now that he had rejected her, she didn't think she could bring herself to ever fall for another boy again.

Because, like she had confessed to him, he had already stolen her heart...

The sound of her phone ringing impatiently brought Marinette out of her reverie. She looked down at her phone to check who was calling her. She wasn't surprised to find that it was Alya.

"Girl, what happened? Is everything okay? How was last night?" she burst out as soon as Marinette answered the phone.

"Everything's okay, Alya," she reassured her friend. She forced a smile, but her voice sounded too strained. She tried to change the subject to avoid getting more questions from the persistent journalist. "I'm just a little tired, so I wanted to stay home today. But enough about me. How's school going?"

"Oh, school's fantastic, girl!" Alya declared immediately. "Nino came to speak to us today, and he was so cool! And you'd never guess the project Madame Bustier just assigned us!"

She tried to be happy for Alya, but that just made her feel sad about her own feelings for Chat Noir. Why couldn't he like her back?

"What is it?" she asked.

"We're all assigned an alumni from our school, and we'll be writing a report on how they got into their fields!" Alya explained eagerly. "And guess who you've been assigned to? Oh, you'd never believe your luck, girl! You got Adrien!"

"Oh," Marinette mumbled, her mind still preoccupied with thoughts of Chat Noir. The night before, he had been all about protecting her. But then he'd left that morning without a warning, not to mention that he hadn't even discussed the plan with her! Just what had he been thinking...?

"Girl, are you alright?" her friend demanded, breaking her out of her reverie.

"I-Yes! Why do you ask?" Marinette lied. She had said that she was okay so many times that she almost believed that she was. Almost.

Alya paused before explaining, "Well, you'd usually get excited at any mention of Adrien, but you sound so...sad today."

Marinette shook her head, then realized that her friend wouldn't be able to see her actions on the other end of the phone. "I-I'm not sad," she insisted out loud. "You said I got Adrien? That's amazing!" she tried to sound as cheerful as she could.

"Yes!" Alya launched back into her excited mode. "I'm sure Madame Bustier will give you all the details when you're back tomorrow, so look forward to it!"

"What about you? Who are you writing your report on?" Marinette wondered.

"Lila Rossi!" Alya gushed, practically squealing into the phone. "You know, that famous actress who also went to our school?"

"That's great, Alya! I'm sure you'll write the juciest story yet!" Marinette tried her best to sound happy.

"You bet I will!" Alya agreed. "I gotta go, but talk to you later, girl! Hope you feel better!"

"Thank you, Alya," Marinette murmured, feeling grateful that the other girl hadn't asked her for details.

She ended the call, her gaze dropping to the black cat plush that sat innocently by her pillow.

She had a sudden urge to throw it away, to get rid of anything that reminded her of that certain thief, but then instantly felt that she would regret it. She sighed. She'd made the plush with love and care, after all. She couldn't bring herself to do it. She would keep it, she decided.

Feeling bored and having nothing else to do, she opened a new page on her phone and began scrolling absently through the news. Her heart lurched when a new article on Chat Noir popped up on the front page.

"_Breaking news! Chat Noir pounces again!_

_Chat Noir, the most wanted man in France, has leapt for the Museum of Decorative Arts this morning at 8:45 AM and took off with the Blue Diamond, a timeless necklace with over one thousand years worth of history. The necklace is said to have been worn by Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine during the middle ages of France, but of course, this is just a rumor. We can only hope that we will be able to get such a valuable piece back from the thief._

_And once again, he has left no evidence on how he evaded security in the middle of the day, but he did leave behind his signature paw print. Police are getting incredibly frustrated that he still hasn't been caught. And speaking of jewelry, a witness claims that she saw that he was wearing a ring with his symbol on it! Where did this ring come from? Did he steal it? What's the history behind it? Join us as we get to the bottom of this mystery_!"

Marinette was tempted to throw her phone at the wall in frustration. Right after he'd left her, he'd went straight for a heist! And he was even showing off his ring! Did he feel nothing about leaving her?

Then again, maybe he didn't feel anything for her. All those years ago, she'd just been an annoying kid who wanted to help him. Maybe that was how he saw her, just an annoying girl who was younger than him.

"Chat Noir's already left. He's probably not interested in you anyway. So stop thinking about him, Mari. Stop dreaming," She told herself firmly. If he had already gotten back to business, then so would she. Moping around wasn't going to get her anywhere.

She hastily wiped her eyes and slapped her cheeks to get back to her senses. She decided she would help her parents in the bakery rather than sitting around and doing nothing all day. With her mind made up, she hopped off her bed and headed downstairs with renewed energy.

* * *

The rest of the day passed without further incident. Marinette busied herself by greeting customers or helping her parents bake in the back, and making sure that her mind was preoccupied so she wouldn't think of a certain thief.

It was towards the end of the night when the door chimed, and a new customer walked into the bakery. Marinette, busy counting the change, mumbled absentmindedly, "Welcome, how may I help - " before she looked up at the newcomer and gasped in recognition. "N-Nathaniel? What are you doing here?"

"Hi Marinette!" her quiet classmate greeted, smiling shyly at her. She noted that he was carrying a heavy-looking paper bag, which he set down by the cash register. "Madame Bustier asked me to bring your homework for you. She also wanted me to pass along a message from the class. 'We all missed you today!', they said."

Marinette couldn't help getting a little teary-eyed, feeling touched that everyone cared so much about her. "Thank you, Nathaniel," she mumbled, taking the bag from him. "I missed you guys too!"

"Oh, can I also get some macarons to go?" Nathaniel asked sheepishly. "One reason why I volunteered to come is because I know how delicious everything here is!"

Marinette smiled, but her smile wavered when treacherous thoughts of Chat Noir crossed her mind. She remembered how giddy she had felt when _he_ had told her that he liked their macarons. Somehow, Nathaniel's praise didn't affect her the same way that Chat Noir's had. She shook her head to clear the thought from her mind. "I'll make sure to let my parents know, thank you! And sure, how many would you like?"

"Six please," he decided. "Thank you, Marinette!"

"Sounds good! I'll throw in one more for you. It's on the house," Marinette winked at him.

Nathaniel blushed and stared at her. "I-I couldn't!"

"Don't be silly, Nathaniel! We're classmates, of course you'd get a discount!" she said, and instantly got to work to pack his macarons for him. She didn't dare say that if Chat Noir had walked into the bakery, she would probably have offered him everything in her bakery for free (not that her parents would appreciate that).

Once she'd finished packing the macarons, she sealed the white box with tape and handed it to him. Nathaniel eagerly handed her the money, his cheeks turning red as he told her to keep the change.

"Thank you, Nathaniel," she said sincerely, and she meant it. It wasn't just to thank him for the change - she appreciated that he would go out of his way to bring her homework for her.

He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand and shuffled his feet, as though he wanted to ask her something else. Marinette tipped her head to one side curiously, waiting for him to speak. Finally, he took a deep breath and stuttered, "I-Is there anyone you l-like, Marinette?"

It was Marinette's turn to blush. "W-Why do you ask?" she squeaked.

"N-No reason," Nathaniel mumbled. "I-If you don't have anyone you like, w-wouldyougoonadatewithme?"

"I'm sorry, what?" Marinette asked, furrowing her brows in confusion. He had blurted the last part so fast that she hadn't quite caught what he'd said.

He cleared his throat and asked again, "W-Would you go on a date with me?"

For a moment, Marinette was at a loss for words. It wasn't everyday someone asked her out!

Her insides churned with a million different emotions. She was flustered that he had taken an interest in her - after all, she had no idea that he liked her. But she was torn - torn between her unrequited feelings for Chat Noir, and the boy standing in front of her. A part of her wanted to say no, but she hated turning others down. Maybe...just maybe...this date would be what she needed to get her mind off of Chat Noir.

_Is that what you really want, to forget Chat Noir after all that you've done for him? _A traitorous voice hissed in her mind, but she shook her head to clear the thought away.

"I-Yes!" she squeaked, realizing that he was still waiting for her answer. "I-I'll go with you! On a date!"

He blinked at her in surprise, clearly not expecting her to say yes. Once the thought had registered in his mind, he beamed at her. "Y-You will? I-I can't believe it! I'm so happy right now, I don't know what to say! I-Meet me by the Seine at Notre Dame tomorrow night at seven. I'll see you there!"

He smiled at her again before he practically ran out of her bakery.

Marinette watched him go with a sigh. Nathaniel was usually shy and reserved. She had never seen him act this excited about anything before. Oh, what had she gotten herself into?

Just one date, she insisted firmly. One date, and then she'll turn him down if she had to. But maybe this was the change she needed to forget about that stupid thief for good.

* * *

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, I've loved hearing your thoughts on the story!

I'm so sorry for the delay! A lot has happened recently but I'm back with another chapter! Hope you like it! (Fun fact: Queen Eleanor was an actual queen consort of France, but I made up the necklace that Chat Noir steals, hehe). Let me know what you think with a review? ;)

_Next chapter preview - Marinette goes on a date with Nathaniel, but things don't go exactly as planned..._


	10. Chapter 10

"YOU WHAT?" Alya shouted loudly the following morning, instantly gaining the attention of everyone in the class.

Marinette turned beet red and lunged forward to cover her friend's mouth with her hand. "Alya! Not so loud!" she hissed, blinking apologetically at her classmates. She had just told Alya about the crazy events from last night, also known as Nathaniel asking her out on a date. To say that Alya was surprised was an understatement.

"Sorry, girl! I'm just, you know, surprised! But what about the guy who you still have a crush on? You do still have a crush on him, right?" Alya demanded, albeit lowering her voice this time.

Marinette couldn't help blushing at the mention of Chat Noir, but she quickly tried to hide it. "I-I...nothing happened with him. I don't think he likes me back. So I...I moved on." This was partially the truth, she told herself. She was positive that he wasn't interested her, at least not in the way she hoped. But that didn't mean that she had gotten over him. At least, not yet.

Alya stared at Marinette in awe. "Wow, girl. Who'd think all this would happen just because you missed one day of school? Imagine all the things that could happen if you skipped a week!"

"Alya!" Marinette exclaimed, feeling scandalized at what the brunette was suggesting.

The other girl let out a laugh. "Just kidding. Seriously, though, girl! But now that you no longer like this other mystery guy, can I finally ask who he was?"

"I...he's no one of importance," she mumbled, turning away. She would rather bury herself in a hole than tell Alya that she had a crush on Paris's most wanted thief.

Her friend waggled her eyebrows at her. "Is he really not that important if you're still blushing? Oh, I know! It's Adrien, right?"

"W-what? Adrien?" Marinette spluttered in shock. She opened her mouth to deny it, but then an idea popped into her mind. She couldn't tell Alya that her crush was Chat Noir - if she did, she would never hear the end of it from her friend - but she could pretend that she had had a crush on Adrien! Then Alya would be satisfied, and she (hopefully) wouldn't keep pestering her about it. Making up her mind, she managed, "Y-You guessed it!"

Alya's eyes grew rounder than the moon. "Aha! I knew it!" she laughed gleefully, sounding more like a madwoman than her best friend. Marinette rolled her eyes at how enthusiastic Alya was for her nonexistent love life. "Don't give up yet, Mari! You still have a chance to see him!" she reassured her confidently.

"A chance to see him?" Marinette echoed. "What do you mean?"

"The alumni project is what I mean! You'll get to interview him in person. Not to mention that design contest you're still participating in, right?" she reminded her.

Marinette's eyes widened. "Oh no, the design contest! I completely forgot!" She didn't dare mention that the reason why she had forgotten was because of everything that had happened to her since her nearly getting kidnapped. It truly had been a crazy week.

Alya smirked at her friend. Sometimes Marinette was too air-headed for her own good. "It's a good thing I reminded you, eh?"

"Yes! Thank you, thank you!" Marinette mock-bowed to show her appreciation. They giggled, continuing to talk until Madame Bustier entered the room and first period started.

But Marinette found that she could hardly pay attention to Madame Bustier when she had more important things to think about, namely her date with Nathaniel that night! How was she going to turn him down and ask him to just be friends without hurting his feelings...?

"Marinette? Marinette!"

She jumped when a voice spoke up from next to her. "Y-Yes?"

Madame Bustier was speaking to her. She blushed in embarrassment when she realized that she hadn't been paying attention, and to her teacher no less! "I'd like to speak to you after class about the alumni project."

"Yes Ma'am!"

The class laughed at her response, and Madame Bustier rolled her eyes before turning back to the class.

For the remainder of the period, Marinette made sure to pay extra attention to avoid any further incidents.

* * *

_Oh no, oh no, oh no._

The thought repeated over and over in Marinette's mind as she dashed madly back to her house after school.

After speaking with Madame Bustier about the alumni project, the thoughtful teacher had explained that she had stepped in and scheduled an interview with Adrien for her, which would be taking place at her bakery _that afternoon_! Her teacher had apologized profusely, saying that she would've asked Marinette for a better time, but Adrien had informed her that this was the only time that worked for him for the next few weeks. He was a model, after all, and models had especially busy schedules. Marinette couldn't blame him.

But that led her to her current predicament.

How was she going to prepare for such an important event, not to mention in addition to having her date with Nathaniel set for later that night? And what was she going to wear for his interview?

_Think, Marinette, think! _She begged herself, racking her brain for ideas. Thankfully, an idea flashed in her mind. She could wear the same dress she had for planned for the date! That should solve that problem, right? It would be two birds with one stone.

Once she had gotten home and informed her parents that Adrien would be coming, she stood in front of her closet for a long time, debating what she should wear. Finally, she decided on a flowy, pink dress that fell to her knees. It wasn't too formal, and it shouldn't give Nathaniel any ideas. That was good enough for her.

Now that that issue was sorted, she had a more important question to think about, namely what questions she was going to ask Adrien that would be beneficial to her project. And the problem was that she had no time to plan for the interview. Oh, if only Alya was there, she would know what to do in her situation! Wait a minute. If Alya couldn't be there in person, maybe she could call her...

"Alya, please pick up!" she prayed to the gods as her phone rang and rang.

Finally, after what felt like forever, she heard Alya's voice greet her from the other end. "Alya, thank goodness! I'm going crazy over here!"

"What's wrong, girl? Are you worried about your date with Nathaniel tonight?" Alya guessed.

"No!" Marinette denied quickly. The date was the last thing on her mind. "I mean, not yet. Adrien is coming to my bakery for an interview. Like, RIGHT NOW. What am I going to do? I don't have any questions for him!"

She could almost hear Alya laughing. "Calm down, girl! You asked the right person for help, that's for sure. Don't worry, I can send you a list of questions. I'm sure you'll like them."

"Thank you, thank you, Alya!" Marinette exclaimed. "I'll bring some treats from the bakery for you tomorrow!" She used her arm to prop her phone to her ear so she could zip up the dress she was putting on at the same time.

"Alright, I'll send them to you now. You got this!" With that, Alya ended the call.

Marinette took a deep breath before quickly finishing her preparations, and then she headed downstairs into the bakery. She glanced around the room, looking for the perfect interview spot. She decided to pick the cute, circular corner table for the interview and hurriedly wiped it down.

Thankfully, there weren't any customers at this time of day, so she poked her head out the door and switched the open sign to closed. That should give her the time and privacy she needed for her interview with Adrien. With the remaining time, she packed some macarons that she planned to gift to Adrien as an appreciation gift. Finally, now that she was done setting everything up and having nothing else to do, she decided to clean some dishes to pass the time and wait for him to arrive.

The familiar, delicate chime of the doorbell announced Adrien's arrival barely a few moments later.

"Hi Marinette!" He greeted her cheerfully, giving her a wave as he walked in. Marinette looked up in surprise - she hadn't expected him get here at four on the dot - and promptly dropped the plate she was cleaning. She winced when it shattered into a thousand pieces.

"A-Adrien!" She stuttered in reply, hastily kicking the broken plate out of the way to hide the mess she'd made. She made a mental note to clean it up after he left. "T-Thank coming for you! I mean, thank you coming for! Ah, no, thank you for coming!" she amended, hating how just one piercing look from those gorgeous green eyes could turn her into a pile of mush. She wasn't even into showbiz, or liked celebrities that much! But there was something about Adrien that dazzled her. Not just her. He seemed to have a mysterious power that dazzled everyone.

She chased the thought away. What was she thinking? The boy she liked was Chat Noir, not Adrien! _Not that Chat Noir liked you back, _a voice reminded her dryly. She groaned inwardly. Sometimes even her mind seemed to be against her.

"Don't worry about it! Anything to help yo - my Alma mater! And sorry for scheduling the interview for today without asking you first. My schedule is pretty packed for the rest of this month," he explained sheepishly, his expression looking so adorable that it made Marinette melt inside. She could only shake her head to tell him that she didn't mind the sudden interview. "Besides, your bakery has the most delicious macarons. I wouldn't miss them for anything!" he winked conspiringly.

Marinette almost blurted that he could have anything in the bakery for free before she caught herself. _At this rate, if you start offering everything to all the boys you like, your family will go bankrupt_, she scolded herself before shaking her head. Taking this as a good sign, she handed the box she had prepared to him. "By the way, this is for you! It's on the house," she explained. "Think of it as, ah, my way of thanking you for doing an interview with me."

Adrien beamed at her. "Wow, thank you, Marinette! They look amazing! And you remembered that my favorite flavor is passion fruit!"

She ducked her head in embarrassment. "Er, I only remembered because one of my f-friends also likes them," she mumbled, an image of Chat Noir popping into her head. Her cheeks flushed as she imagined him smirking at her.

A sly smile danced at the corner of Adrien's lips, as though the model knew something that she didn't. "Oh, do you? Who are they? I'm sure we'd make great friends!" he said jokingly.

She shook her head. "Uh - don't worry about it! It's not like I'll ever see him again," she murmured sadly, averting her gaze. She didn't notice the searching look he gave her.

"What? How dare he make you sad," Adrien declared, his eyes flashing with anger and something else that she couldn't quite decipher.

"N-No! It wasn't his fault! He...had his reasons." Marinette said hastily, wondering why she was even defending him when she didn't know the real reason he'd left. Deep down, she did know, but she didn't want to bring herself to admit that he was right, that leaving meant that she would be safe from Hawk Moth. She did have faith in him, though, knowing that he hadn't meant to hurt her with his decision. She trusted him. He would never hurt her.

She inhaled deeply when she heard her phone buzz in her pocket, telling her that Alya had just texted her the list of interview questions. "A-Anyway! I-I don't want to keep you, so let's get started. Thank you again for doing this interview for my project." She studied the list her friend had sent and picked the first question. "What inspired you to become a model?"

Adrien looked thoughtful as he considered his response. "Hmm. I knew it was what my father wanted for me, at first. But later, it also became what I wanted for myself, if that makes any sense. I'd grown up being surrounded by fashionistas and models, and having a father with his own product line was really the icing on the cake. I started modeling when I was young, and I discovered that I actually really liked it. And it just kind of took off from there."

Marinette was completely engrossed as she listened to his answer. "Wow," she breathed in awe. "I can't imagine growing up with a person as amazing as your father. That's so inspiring."

"Thank you, Marinette," he said sincerely. "I'm honored to hear that."

Compared to other celebrities who loved any and all kinds of attention, Adrien was down to earth and humble. No wonder he had so many fans, Marinette couldn't help musing. If she didn't have a crush on Chat Noir, she would probably fall for Adrien. _Chat Noir..._

She quickly dismissed her thoughts and checked Alya's questions for inspiration. "Do you have any advice for someone who's looking to go into a similar field?"

"You're interested in becoming a fashion designer, right?" Adrien clarified. Marinette couldn't believe he had actually remembered this fact about her just from sharing one brief conversation. He probably interacted with thousands of fans everyday, and yet he had remembered her dream.

She nodded. "Yes, I am! And wow, you remembered!"

He grinned at her, his bright smile infectious. Marinette found herself smiling back at him despite herself. "I make it a habit to remember at least some facts about all my fans, if I can. It's the least I can do for them for all their support," he explained before continuing, "Anyway, putting yourself out there is definitely a good start, so it's great that you're joining my father's contest! It can get pretty tough sometimes, especially in a field like ours, but one piece of advice is to always keep your head high and don't let anyone bring you down. No matter what, keep fighting and doing what you love, and I'm sure you'll get there!"

Adrien gazed at her fondly, then reached across the table almost as though to pat her head. He caught himself and sat back down hastily, covering his actions with a cough.

Marinette though, was too busy furiously jotting down his advice to notice. "I'll definitely keep that in mind, and I'll try my best. Thank you so much!"

"No big. Do you have any other questions that I can help answer?"

She looked down at the list thoughtfully before deciding on the next question. "Hmm...oh, I know! If you could go into any other field, which one would it be?"

"That's an interesting question," he remarked bemusedly, taking his time to answer. "Hmm. Maybe I'd be a thief," he said, almost jokingly.

"A-A thief?" Marinette squeaked, instantly thinking of Chat Noir again. She hated that stupid cat for always sneaking into her thoughts at the most inopportune times. "Why would you choose be a thief, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Doesn't it sound thrilling?" Adrien responded, a smirk dancing at the corner of his lips. "Why, do you not like thieves, Marinette?"

His question made her blush. "I-I do like them! They're c-cool. And handsome. No, ah, I mean, just cool!" she stuttered, clearing her throat when she wasn't able to form a coherent response. Why did she have to become tongue-tied at a time like this?

She had to change the subject before she said something even more embarrassing."A-Anyway, moving on to the next question..."

She glanced back at the list, snorting when she saw how ridiculous some of the questions were, like the one that asked if Adrien had any deep, dark secrets that he could share (not that he would have any, she guessed). Besides those, though, she had to admit that the questions Alya had shared were pretty good. She made a mental note to thank her best friend for saving her on this project.

That was when she spotted one of the remaining questions, and she smirked as she read, _Ask him if Nino is single! _This would be the perfect way to repay Alya for her kindness. "This question isn't really related to the interview, if that's okay," she said. "I'm asking this for a friend, but is uh, Nino single?"

The model raised an eyebrow at her. "You're not interested in Nino, are you?"

"O-Of course I'm not!" Marinette said quickly. "I...I actually have a date in an hour with another guy who's not Nino. But a-anyway, this is for my friend!"

Adrien's frown deepened at those words. "You have a date with another guy, eh?" he muttered, more to himself than to her. He sounded almost...bitter. But he was a celebrity, and he couldn't, no, shouldn't care about her love life. Right?

Marinette blinked, and his strange expression was gone, so sudden that she thought perhaps she had imagined it.

"Your friend...oh! Alya, right? Nino mentioned her to me before, and judging from his body language, he's definitely interested in her. Just between us, he's very single." He winked at her, changing the subject back to her friend.

"That's great!" Marinette beamed at him. She couldn't wait to tell her friend the good news. "Those were all the questions I had, so we're good to go. Thank you so, so much. I don't want to take up too much of your time, so please feel free to leave when you're ready!"

"You never take up too much time of my time, Marinette," Adrien murmured softly, gazing at her imploringly as he stood up. His words and intense gaze made her breath catch. This was only the third time they'd met, but sometimes his actions seemed like he saw her as a close friend, not just another fan. She longed to know what he truly thought of her, but she didn't dare ask.

"I like your dress, by the way," he added in a louder voice to change the subject.

She blushed at his compliment. "T-Thank you! I designed it myself."

"That's amazing, Marinette! I'm sure you'll do just fine in our design contest," he praised, making her cheeks burn even more.

She didn't know why she was reacting this way around Adrien, when her feelings were reserved only for Chat Noir. She swung her head from side to side to clear her thoughts. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about that. She had a date with Nathaniel. It wouldn't be fair to him if she was thinking about two guys who were both out of her reach.

Why did her love life have to be so messed up, anyway?

She sighed in frustration before turning back to Adrien.

"Well, thank you again! I hope I'll get to see you around?" she asked hopefully as she walked him to the door.

"I hope so too," Adrien agreed, but Marinette couldn't help noticing that his eyes looked sad. "And good luck in the contest!" With that, he waved to her in farewell and left, leaving Marinette standing by the door in a daze.

She'd somehow managed to survive her interview with Adrien, but could she survive her date with Nathaniel?

* * *

A/N: Wow, I can't believe we're already at 100 reviews! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, and thank you for all your support! I wouldn't be here without all of you beloved readers! :)

Actually, I lied in the last chapter preview! I decided to add one more part before the date with Nathaniel, hehehe. Hope it's worth it! Please look forward to it in the next chapter! :)

Hope everyone stay safe and take care of yourself in these rough times!

Next chapter preview _\- Marinette goes on her date with Nathaniel, but things don't go exactly as planned and someone crashes their date..._


	11. Chapter 11

Crap. She was going to be late for her date with Nathaniel!

Dinner with her parents had lasted longer than she had expected - she had been sucked into the joyful conversations they'd shared, and ended up losing track of time. This was her favorite part of dining with her family though, being able to laugh with her Maman and Papa and pretending that everything was okay, that everything was still normal.

But now she was running behind schedule.

She paused. Hold that thought - if she was purposefully late, would Nathaniel get the signal that she wasn't interested?

But if she did that, she would feel guilty. She was the type of girl who hated being late and causing others trouble. Maybe agreeing to this date wasn't such a good idea after all...

Then again, she had already agreed to it. She couldn't bear to stand Nathaniel up. He was such a sweet and thoughtful classmate, and she couldn't do that to him.

Still, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something bad was going to happen as she informed her parents that she was going to Notre Dame to meet a friend, and then she was on her way.

It didn't take Marinette long to walk the short length to the famous cathedral, being careful to avoid crashing into crowds of excited tourists along the way. That was the beauty of her family's bakery, conveniently locating close to both her school and the beautiful Notre Dame. She made her way to the right bank of La Seine, the place she had promised to meet Nathaniel.

"Hi, Marinette!"

She heard an excited voice call her name from somewhere nearby. She looked around, searching for the source of the voice, and her mouth dropped at the sight in front of her. Nathaniel, wearing a grey collared shirt and purple dress pants, was standing on board a small boat parked by a dock along the scenic river. As soon as he spotted her, he waved happily to her to catch her attention. She stared at the scene in front of her in shock, then rubbed her eyes and stared again. She didn't think he'd go this far just for their first date!

Marinette hesitantly stepped toward him, still in awe of the boat. "Wow," she exclaimed in wonder as he took her hand like a gentleman and helped her onto the boat.

"W-What do you think?" Nathaniel asked, fiddling with his fingers nervously as he waited for her response.

"This is...this is...breathtaking," she said, struggling to find the right words to describe it. She spun in a circle to take in the entire view. "You did all this for me?"

He nodded. "That's how much I like you, Marinette. And don't worry, this is nothing. I borrowed the boat from my uncle who runs a boating business," he explained, gesturing at the boat.

"Still, I think it's pretty amazing!" Marinette insisted. The boat gently bobbed up and down in the water as a cool wind blew around them.

"Let me give you a tour!" Nathaniel offered eagerly. He tugged at the rope that tied the boat to the dock, and soon they were sailing down La Saine.

Marinette followed him as he showed her around the boat, which included a small cabin that held a small, cozy living room. Nathaniel had set up two blue beach chairs in the front deck so they could enjoy the scenery together. The bow of the boat was even adorned with a round lamp that shone as bright as the moon. She had to admit that it was quite romantic.

The boat drifted lazily down the Seine. Marinette and Nathaniel settled down in the chairs, gazing at the gorgeous views on the shore as they passed by. "I'm glad you came," Nathaniel said after a few moments of silence. "You didn't show up at seven, and I thought you weren't going to come."

"I'm sorry I was late," Marinette apologized. "I was trying to figure out what to wear, and then I had dinner with my parents..." She had also been deciding if she should've come at all, but she wasn't going to tell him that.

He blinked at her. "Well, I think you look nice," Nathaniel complimented her shyly.

"Thank you," she responded with a small smile. She couldn't help but feel that somehow, his words didn't have the same affect on her as Adrien's had earlier that afternoon.

She took a deep breath and turned to him. She'd made up her mind to tell him the truth and turn him down, but she didn't want him to feel sad because of her. "Nathaniel, listen - " She began hesitantly, but before she could continue, a shrill laugh sounded from ahead. They both jerked up to see a dark figure balancing on the railing of the bridge that the boat was currently passing under.

"I've finally found you, little girl. So you're _his_ woman, aren't you?" the figure sneered, crackling with laughter as he jumped onto the deck. The boat rocked back and forth violently from his sudden landing.

Marinette almost fell over from the sudden movement, but she managed to maintain her balance just in time. Her eyes stretched wide, and she could only stare at the figure in horror. The man was wearing dark-colored pants, bright red boots, and a black-and-white striped shirt, completing his outfit with a mask that hid his face. She didn't think she had seen him before, but she had a sickening feeling he was working with Hawk Moth to kidnap her.

She knew she had had a bad feeling about going on the date that night...oh, why was this happening to her now of all times?

The man pulled out a knife and started slowly advancing on her and Nathaniel, who was too scared to react. Marinette glanced between them, and then finally came to a decision. She couldn't get Nathaniel involved in her personal problems. This criminal was after her, and Nathaniel was just an innocent bystander. If Nathaniel was involved, who knew what Hawk Moth would do to him? She wasn't going to wait around to find out.

"Nathaniel, I'm sorry for this," she apologized. With a loud cry, she rushed toward him, her actions surprising both him and the criminal. Using her momentum, she pushed him towards the railing. He was still so shocked that he didn't protest as she threw her arm around him, forcing him over the railing and into the chilly water below.

Nathaniel let out a gasp as his body came in contact with the water, and quickly came back to his senses. He began to tread water to stay afloat.

"W-What was that for, Marinette?" he demanded, almost choking on a mouthful of river water before spitting it out. "What's going on? Who's that guy and why is he after us?"

"I'm sorry," she repeated sadly. She wished she could tell him the truth, she truly did. But some secrets were better left untold, even if it meant the death of her. "He's not after us. He's after me, not you. So please get away from here while you can. I-I'll hold him off." She had no idea how she was going to do that, but she had to try.

Before Nathaniel could open his mouth to protest, the man stepped closer to Marinette with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Marinette squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself for the pain. But just as the man was about to attack, a third figure let out a feral growl and sprang from the rooftop of the nearest four-story building, landing skillfully in front of her. Her eyes snapped open in time to see him use an extended baton to ease his landing. His movements were swift and nimble, almost catlike. Even in the dark, Marinette could tell that this newcomer was a force to be reckoned with.

Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at him. Could it be? No...it couldn't...

"Chat Noir," she whispered, feeling as though if she spoke his name out loud, the spell would break and she would wake up from a dream - no it would be more like a dreadful nightmare. She didn't think she would see him again after he'd left her on her balcony. But now, he was standing in front of her and protecting her, even after he'd tried to break off all contact with her.

And now she understood why. With her connection to him, it wasn't a surprise that Hawk Moth would send his underlings after her. He had pushed her away to protect her. Her heart ached. Now that she knew this fact, she was falling even more for him, if that was possible. There was no way she could forget him now...

"Hello, Evillustrator," Chat Noir greeted the man with a mock bow. So that was his name, Marinette realized with a jolt. It wasn't a surprise he would be acquainted with other criminals. Now that she thought about it, the name did suit the criminal. As she squinted at him, she noticed that the blade he held in his outstretched hand appeared to be a pen knife, a pen with an especially sharp tip attached to one end. She shuddered as she imagined it piercing into her body.

"You know my name," Evillustrator responded with mild surprise.

Chat Noir smirked at the criminal. "Of course I do. I've heard your name whispered within criminal circles around here. You're one of Hawk Moth's favorites, aren't you?" When the other man didn't reply, he continued, "Isn't he getting a little low?" Chat Noir taunted, a Cheshire grin spreading across his lips as he spoke. "Attacking an innocent girl like this?"

Evillustrator glared back. "What Master does is none of your business, Chat Noir. But now that you're here, that confirms that she's your woman, isn't she?"

Chat Noir glanced at Marinette with an unreadable expression and barked a laugh. "Her, my woman? Absolutely not!"

Marinette flinched. His denial hurt more than stab wounds. It was as if he didn't care about her at all...She felt as though her heart was shattering into a thousand pieces. "I was just passing by and felt like sending Hawk Moth a little message."

"Oh, and what's that?" Evillustrator asked, interested by this turn of events.

"Tell him that this girl has nothing to do with me. So you can run back to your little boss and leave her alone," Chat Noir growled, his voice void of all emotions. He didn't even look at Marinette as he spoke, making it hurt even more. "Is my message clear?"

The other man smirked, twirling the blade with his fingers. "Well, if she's not, you wouldn't care what I do to her, would you?" He approached Marinette slowly, almost painfully.

Marinette paled at what Evillustrator was suggesting. But, then again, she almost wished that he would attack her, so she would no longer feel the pain from Chat Noir's rejection. She covered her ears, not ready to hear his reply. If he said that he didn't care what the man did, she didn't know what she would do...

Before he could answer, a third voice interrupted them. "Y-You might not care, but I do!"

The three turned around in surprise at the sound of the new voice. Nathaniel had managed to climb back on board amidst the chaos, shivering and completely drenched. But despite his appearance, he stood firm, his furious blue eyes glaring at the criminals. Marinette was touched. Before now, she had only seen him as her shy classmate. She couldn't believe that he would risk his life for her by climbing back onto the boat.

Chat Noir let out a whistle. "You have guts, boy. I'll give you that much. But you just messed up my plans, you know? And I hate when people get in the way..." He tutted in disapproval, then danced a few steps back to where Nathaniel and Marinette stood. In one swift movement, he used one hand to hoist Nathaniel into the air by his shirt collar and pulled Marinette towards him with the other as though they weighed nothing. Marinette's cheeks flushed as her hands brushed against the leather of his black suit, but she tried her best to not get distracted by their proximity. Instead, she opened her mouth and started to protest, but one cold glare from the infamous thief made her clamp her mouth shut. "So why don't you two lovebirds run along and leave this to the experts?"

With those words, he leapt onto the shore and unceremoniously dropped the two onto the ground. "You guys get out of here. I'll hold him off," he ordered, not giving them a chance to protest. For just a moment, his eyes flickered towards Marinette, her heart pounding at the intense fire burning in his gaze. But all too soon, the moment was broken as he quickly turned back to face the criminal with his baton ready.

"Let's get out of here, Marinette!" Nathaniel said urgently, taking Chat Noir's advice to heart. He jumped into action and started dragging her away from the battle.

Marinette tried to stand her ground. She couldn't bear to leave when she had finally gotten a chance to see Chat Noir again, but Nathaniel refused to listen and pulled her along with him as he ran. She shot one last desperate glance at the cat burglar before they turned the corner, and the two criminals disappeared from view.

Marinette and Nathaniel ran and ran, weaving between different streets to get as far away from the scene as they could. They didn't stop running until Nathaniel finally skidded to a halt in a back alley. "W-we should be safe here," he gasped between breaths.

Marinette scanned their surroundings warily, not relaxing until she saw that the man really wasn't coming after them. She nodded her agreement. "T-Thank goodness!"

"What was that all about?" Nathaniel asked after taking a moment to catch his breath. "That guy was Chat Noir, wasn't he? Isn't he that awful criminal? I can't believe he saved us!"

Marinette couldn't believe it either. Chat Noir had protected her - not just her, but Nathaniel, too, someone he had no reason to help. Even though he was a cunning thief, he was more selfless than anyone else she knew. Besides, she didn't think she would ever see him again. Yet, he had been there to stop the criminal from hurting her, even though he had denied her to being his woman. Why would he go this far for her if he wasn't interested in her? And why was he sending her mixed signals, anyway? The stupid cat...

She felt tears of frustration pool in her eyes.

"S-Sorry," she mumbled when she realized that Nathaniel was still waiting for her answer. "I know right? I can't believe C-Chat Noir helped us!" she pretended to be as surprised as Nathaniel.

"Why was that other guy after you? And what's this about Hawk Moth?" Nathaniel continued curiously. "Something doesn't add up..."

"I-I have no idea. I don't know what they were talking about either," she added, lying through gritted teeth. Even now, she lying to her friend to protect Chat Noir. She really had it bad for him, didn't she? "C-Can you not tell anyone else about this?" she begged through pleading eyes.

Nathaniel looked puzzled. "Why not? We should be telling the police, right? Hey, isn't Sabrina's dad a part of the police force? Maybe we can tell him!"

If they involved the police, Hawk Moth might become even more desperate to kidnap her, and perhaps go even as far as hurting Nathaniel for being a witness in the case. She couldn't do that to the budding artist. "It'll be alright. I-I'll handle this." she said vaguely, neither confirming nor denying his suggestion. Perhaps he'd believe that she would go to the police, and wouldn't pursue the matter further himself. "Just promise me that you won't tell anyone else what happened, okay?"

"If you say so, Marinette. But still, that was so cool! I got to see Chat Noir with my own eyes!" Nathaniel said, his eyes shining excitedly. He had completely forgotten about his wet clothes in his excitement. Marinette had never seen Nathaniel this talkative before. She wondered if it was the adrenaline rush that caused it.

"Sure..." she mumbled distractedly, her thoughts still on the thief. Chat Noir...was he okay? Did he get hurt in the battle? What was happening? She longed to go back and check on him, to make sure that he was safe with her own eyes.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the night, making them both look up in an attempt to locate its source. Now that Marinette listened more intently, she could make out a third sound, one of wood striking the stone pavement almost in conjunction with the footsteps. _Tap. Tap. Tap._

It sounded as though the person were using a cane to walk.

Marinette's mouth dropped open as a newcomer slowly approached them. If that night's events had been surprising, this was even more so. Because this third man wasn't a stranger...She recognized him, and recognized him well.

"M-Mr. Fu!?"

The older man, wearing a red Hawaiian shirt, smiled kindly at her in greeting. "I knew I would find you here, Miss Dupain-Cheng."

Nathaniel stared between them, his brows furrowed in confusion. "You know each other?"

"Long story," Marinette dismissed Nathaniel's question. "Mr. Fu, what are you doing here?"

"Just passing along a message from a friend," he said mysteriously, his words making Nathaniel look even more confused. But Marinette had a feeling she knew who he was talking about. So they really did know each other after all..."He says not to worry about him, and that he'll be fine. And...to never expect to see him again."

"No," Marinette whispered, her shoulders dropping in disappointment. Chat Noir...was he really gone from her life this time? Why was he going so far to avoid her? Why was he doing this?

Mr. Fu's gaze was gentle, as though he could feel her pain. "I'm sorry, but I can't say any more."

She nodded. "T-Thank you. For telling me. At least now I can rest easy, knowing that he's safe." She took a few steps away from the two men. "I-I'm sorry. Can you leave me alone for now? I'll be fine. Nathaniel, you make sure to get home safely, too."

Her voice cracked.

"Marinette - " Nathaniel began, but she shook her head.

"Don't!" Unable to take it anymore, she broke into a run to get away from Nathaniel and Mr. Fu. Only once she was a safe distance away and after making sure that there was no one else around, did she let the tears fall.

* * *

A/N: Thank you so, so much for the reviews! I'm so glad to hear that you all loved the last chapter and are enjoying where the story is going! Here is the much awaited date, hope it was worth the wait! :)

Shout out to those who guessed the Evillustrator vibes in this chapter! (It was one of my favorite episodes, so I had to include it here.)

(I'm sorry for making Marinette suffer so much, poor girl. But things should be picking up and I promise there will be more fluff in future chapters! Hohoho)

Hope everyone stay safe and take care of yourself in these rough times!

Next chapter preview _\- Marinette keeps trying to move on, but can't forget her feelings for her thief. She gets a surprise from a certain model. _


	12. Chapter 12

Master Fu motionlessly watched as Marinette's small frame vanished around the corner, the eerie darkness making her appear even smaller. He didn't like seeing so much sadness reflected in her eyes, but this was the only way to protect her from Chat Noir. He had to respect Chat Noir's wishes no matter how much of an idiot he thought the thief was for pushing her away.

After making sure that the bluenette was no longer in sight, he turned to face Nathaniel with a friendly smile. "You're Miss Dupain-Cheng's friend, aren't you?" he asked, stroking his short, gray beard thoughtfully.

The artist nodded warily, still not fully trusting the older man. Marinette might've been acquaintances with him, but he had no idea who this guy was. He should probably be more careful around strangers, especially considering what he'd witnessed that night. But maybe he was just being paranoid. There was no way an old man could attack him, right? Then again, looks could be deceiving...

Upon his confirmation, Master Fu continued calmly, "Let me get to the point. You saw Chat Noir earlier, didn't you?"

"Y-Yes!" Nathaniel found himself answering despite himself. He had to be careful. This man was rather persuasive, and he didn't like where this conversation was going.

"I'm afraid we can't have you running around telling everyone what you saw, so I'll have to do this. I'm sorry, but it's the only way," Master Fu said, sounding almost apologetic as he held up an antique pocket watch with a silver chain in front of Nathaniel. He swung the pendulum back and forth, and Nathaniel followed the watch's movements with his eyes as though he been caught in a trance. "You never met Chat Noir, and you won't go to the police. You will forget everything you saw tonight in five...four...three...two..."

His smile grew wider as Nathaniel's bright, turquoise eyes glazed over.

"..._one_."

* * *

The following day was Saturday, and Marinette had never been more grateful that she didn't have to wake up early for school.

She spent the entire morning lying in her bed, not feeling up for anything. She even turned off her phone so she wouldn't receive any news regarding a certain stupid thief.

Speaking of the thief...she felt another tear roll down her cheek. Her heart ached painfully when she remembered Chat Noir's rejection from last night. After running away from Nathaniel and Mr. Fu, she had somehow managed to stumble her way home, bursting into tears as soon as she spotted her parents. She'd cried, safe in her Maman's arms, until she could shed no more tears. Thankfully, her understanding parents didn't ask her for an explanation or question her actions. They had even suggested for her to go to bed early and get some rest, which she'd grudgingly accepted.

But she could hardly sleep that night, tossing and turning into the early hours of the morning.

The next morning, her parents tried everything to cheer her up, even calling and inviting Alya over to hang out. But Marinette wasn't in the mood to talk, and sent Alya home with a box filled with sweets from their bakery. Her dessert-loving best friend was too happy to oblige.

Marinette was sprawling lazily on her bed when she heard her Papa's booming voice call for her later that afternoon."Marinette, come downstairs for a minute!"

She wondered why they asking for her now. She was almost tempted to ignore her parents and stay put, but then decided against it. They had been nothing but sweet to her all day. They hadn't even asked her why she was feeling so sad, and respected her privacy. This was the least she could do to show her appreciation for their support.

She forced herself out of bed, shooting one last longing look at her cozy pink and black comforter, and trudged downstairs into the bakery. As she entered the room, her eyes widened when she spotted a cardboard box sitting on the marble floor. She approached the box, and froze when it suddenly seemed to move on its own. Was it her imagination, or did she just hear a cat's meow echo faintly from inside? Her family definitely didn't have a cat the last time she checked (even though she had always begged her parents for one, but that was besides the point), so what was going on?

"We found this on our doorstep just now," her Maman explained, gesturing to the box. "The box has your name on it. Someone meant to give it to you." Sure enough, she noted that one side of the box had been decorated with an elegant script that read '_Please open!_ _For Marinette'_.

Curiosity getting the best of her, she inched closer and bent down to study the box. She opened it gingerly, letting out a gasp when she saw a tiny black kitten sitting inside and gazing at her with large, round green eyes.

"Where'd you come from?" Marinette cooed. Her sadness forgotten, she leaned in to stroke the kitten's soft fur. That was when she noticed that he was wearing a red collar with a note tucked inside.

Frowning, she pulled out the tiny scrap of paper and quickly read the message on it.

"This is Plagg! I found him, but I can't keep him with my strict father and all. Do you think you could take care of him for me? - A.A."

_A.A._ Now, where had she seen those initials before? They looked awfully familiar - the name was just on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't remember for the death of her. She shook her head. She could worry about that later...

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she gathered Plagg the kitten into her arms."Your name is Plagg, huh?" she mumbled into his fur. "What kind of name is that?" The kitten mewled, almost as though in protest. Marinette giggled. "You're so cute," she gushed, stroking his fur fondly. "So much cuter than some other black cat..."

Just then, her parents cleared their throats behind her, making her jump and reminding her that they were still there.

"So, do you know where that cat came from?" Her Papa asked suspiciously.

"H-He's from a friend," she managed, glancing at Plagg again. This wasn't completely a lie, she told herself. She still couldn't recall where she had encountered those initials before, but she figured that the sender must've been a friend to ask for such an important favor from her. A friend with a strict father...hmm...where had she heard that before? "Can we keep Plagg? Please?"

"You've already named him Plagg, huh? That's an interesting name," her Maman noted.

Marinette ducked her head in embarrassment. "T-That's what my friend named him," she mumbled.

"Oh, so the cat is from your friend, huh? Are they a guy or a girl?" Tom demanded, getting straight to the point.

"Papa!" she exclaimed. "W-Weren't we talking about if I can keep Plagg? Can I? Can I? I'll take good care of him, I promise!" she begged, changing the subject before her parents could pry further into her love life.

Sabine exchanged a glance with Tom and motioned for him to decide. "We run a bakery, Marinette. You know we shouldn't be keeping pets," Tom began, and Marinette felt her heart sinking. At her crestfallen look, he added, "But, we'll consider it if you can meet our conditions."

Her face lit up like she had just woken up on Christmas morning with a pile of presents waiting for her. "Yes, Papa! I'll do anything!" she readily agreed.

Tom nodded thoughtfully. He was glad that she was no longer crying so much. "Very well. Our rules are...one, you will keep Plagg in your room. He shouldn't be hanging around the bakery, at least. And two, you'll take care of him, including feeding him and cleaning his litter box every day. Does that sound good?"

"Yes! Thank you, thank you!" Marinette threw her arms around her parents gratefully.

"We're just glad that you're feeling better, dear," Sabine said warmly, patting her back.

Marinette smiled at her parents. "I'm sorry for making you worry," she apologized. "But I'm feeling better now. I'll get Plagg settled in, and then I'll buy some supplies for him!"

She picked up the box and hurried back to her room, where she placed it on the floor to give Plagg an opportunity to explore his new home. She made a check list of supplies she would need to purchase for her new kitty, and, after grabbing her hand-sewn purse and a jacket, headed for the closest pet store.

But just as she opened the front door and walked outside, she almost crashed straight into a customer trying to enter the bakery at the same time. She thanked the gods that she managed to catch herself in time, albeit having to twist her body so she could balance on one foot awkwardly. The last thing she wanted to do was to scare away her parents' precious customers!

"I-I'm so sorry!" she squeaked, getting a good look at the person for the first time. He wore an oversized jacket that covered his entire body, and sported a pair of sunglasses. His outfit was complete with a black cap that completely hid his hair from the public eye. Wait a minute...were those _cat ears_ on the top of his hat? Was he some cosplayer dressed up as a character in some new series that she had no clue about?

Talk about acting suspicious, she couldn't help thinking. As she continued studying him, she noticed a lock of blond hair peaking out from under his hat. She knew someone with blond hair - not just one, but _two_ guys. How many blond-haired guys lived in Paris, anyway?

"Don't apologize, Marinette!" the person insisted. His voice sounded low and raspy, like he was getting over a cold.

How did he know her name? She frowned at him. "Er, I'm sorry! Do I know you?" she asked, mystified by this strange turn of events.

He lifted his sunglasses smoothly for just a heartbeat, and soon she was losing herself in a pair of gorgeous green eyes. Wait a minute. Gorgeous green eyes...they were eyes she had definitely encountered before.

Oh no. It was Adrien!

"A-Adrien?" she gasped, recognition dawning upon her. "Why are you dressed like - oh!" she suddenly understood. He was a celebrity, and it would make sense for him to disguise himself when being out and about in public to avoid being attacked by crazy fangirls. "Sorry," she apologized again. "I-I didn't recognize you."

"It's a good thing you didn't recognize me, then! That means my disguise worked!" Adrien dismissed her apology with a carefree grin. "And no need to apologize, Marinette. I'd prefer to see you smile. That's what I like most about you, you know, that bright smile of yours..." he added, speaking so softly that Marinette wasn't sure if her ears had been playing tricks on her. No...He did just say that, didn't he?

Marinette's heart fluttered as she repeated his compliment over and over in her head. _I'd prefer to see you smile. That's what I like most about you. _It wasn't fair that he was such a smooth talker. She blinked when she realized she had become lost in her thoughts.

"But anyway...it's my fault for showing up like this, so I'm sorry for startling you. I had to shake off my bodyguard, you see," he explained sheepishly, sounding almost as though he was a child caught in the act of stealing candy.

"Y-You have a bodyguard?" she asked in surprise. She had no idea that modeling was such a dangerous job.

"I do. I call him the Gorilla...you'll see why if you meet him. Of all the questions you can ask, that's what you were most curious about?" he responded teasingly.

"I'd like to know more about you, that's all!" she replied quickly, her cheeks heating. "But enough about that! What are you doing here, anyway?" She didn't think she would see Adrien again so soon, after they'd just had the interview the previous day. The interview felt like a lifetime ago with all the crazy events that happened last night.

"Good question! I take it that you received my gift?" he asked, beaming at her.

His gift? For a moment, she wondered what he was talking about, until she finally put the pieces together. Plagg...that note from A.A...! "Plagg! You got him for me?" she exclaimed, her eyes stretched wide in wonder. A.A...Adrien Agreste. Of course! Why hadn't she made the connection sooner?

"I did! He reminded me of a certain black cat," Adrien confirmed, snickering as he remembered some inside joke that only he knew about.

Marinette paused. He couldn't be referring to Chat Noir, could he? No, that couldn't be possible. There was no way Adrien would know of her interest in the thief, right? Still, just thinking about him made her heart squeeze in pain again. She slapped her cheeks to come to her senses. No, she was hanging out with Adrien, she reminded herself. Other girls would kill to be in her position. She was going to treasure the moment, not think about some stupid guy she couldn't have. She shouldn't be dragging Adrien into her problems, not when he was trying to cheer her up.

She cleared her throat. "Well, thank you so much for letting me keep him! He's so cute, I love him so much! In fact, I'm on my way to the pet store to purchase some supplies for him!" she revealed to the model.

"My father would throw a fit if he found out I was keeping a cat, so I had to find someone else to take care of him. I'm so glad you like him and you're able to take him in," he explained. Marinette giggled as she imagined the Gabriel Agreste throwing a fit over his son keeping a cat. Somehow, she didn't think such an image suited him. "And that's great! Can I come with?" Adrien asked unexpectedly.

She paused at his question. Adrien was a model, would he have the time to go out shopping? Seeing her hesitation, he added, "I had to sneak out of fencing practice, so please?"

Her mouth formed into an 'o' in surprise. "No way, you fence on top of modeling!? Is there anything that you don't know how to do?" she asked, impressed by this new revelation.

"Yup, I do. Models have to stay in shape, after all. And to answer your question..." He pretended to think for a long time before deciding on an answer, "Being a thief, I suppose?" he mused with a knowing smirk.

"That's the second time you've mentioned thieves," Marinette noted, raising an eyebrow at him. "You don't have anything against them, do you?"

"Of course not! I think they're cool," he said innocently, echoing Marinette's thoughts from the previous day. "So, I can go to the pet shop with you, right?"

"Are you sure?" Marinette asked dubiously. "I'll just be shopping, so it could be pretty boring, you know. Don't models have other things they should be doing...I don't know, like modeling?"

Adrien shook his head with an amused expression dancing across his face. "I was the one who found Plagg, so he's partially my responsibility too," he pointed out. "Besides, I'd rather spend time with you than be stuck in photo shoots all day. I'd like to know more about you, too, if that's okay with you?"

How could she say no to him if he put it in such a sweet way? She sighed. "Well...if you put it that way...of course that's okay! In that case, let's go!"

"Allons-y!" He agreed cheerfully, following after her.

The two made their way to the nearest pet store, chatting to each other along the way. Marinette found that she quite enjoyed spending time with Adrien, and was completely engrossed by the conversations they shared. She learned that Adrien had been homeschooled as a child, and even studied Chinese and played the piano (not to mention fencing and modeling, too!). She didn't think she'd ever meet someone so talented and perfect.

"We made it!" she announced excitedly as the two approached the entrance of the small and cute pet shop. They didn't need further encouragement before entering the store, where they were welcomed by an employee.

"Welcome!" A girl, wearing the store's uniform and looking like she was in her early twenties - possibly a college student, Marinette guessed - greeted them politely. "If you don't mind me asking, are you adopting your first pet together as a couple?"

Her innocent question made both Adrien and Marinette freeze. "N-No!" Marinette squeaked, but to her horror, Adrien beamed at the girl and responded with "Yes!" at the same time.

At Marinette's denial, Adrien lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "Don't worry about it. We can use this as a part of my disguise. That way they won't know that it's me." He winked at her as he pulled away. At a loss for words, Marinette could only nod in response.

The girl squealed, mistaking their actions for those of two lovers. "Wow, congratulations! That's so exciting! Please feel free to look around, and let me know if I can help with anything!" She turned to greet the next customers who walked in, finally leaving them alone.

Marinette let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. "Don't mind us, we'll just be looking..." she muttered, trying to get as far away from the zealous girl as possible.

Once the two had maneuvered their way into an empty aisle, Adrien doubled over in laughter, clearly amused by their current situation. "I-I'm sorry!" he said, finally stopping when Marinette pouted at him in annoyance. In the back of his mind, he admitted that her pout was rather cute. "I forgot that you're not used to being around celebrities. We do things like that all the time and use each other as part of our disguises."

"Do you?" Marinette asked dryly, not feeling amused at all. Adrien had been so close to her...his proximity definitely wasn't good for her heart.

"Yes. The other day, Lila and I pretended to be dating to get rid of some fangirls who were hitting on me." He shuddered as he remembered the scene.

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised?" she asked. "Wait...did you just say Lila? As in the famous actress and model Lila Rossi!?"

"Yup, she's my friend," Adrien explained with a wry smile. "Well, I guess I wouldn't call her a friend. We just...work together sometimes."

"Wow, I had no idea!" Marinette said, her eyes growing round in awe. "Alya is a big fan of her. She's even interviewing her for our alumni project!"

Adrien grinned. "That's great!"

They continued to converse cheerfully as they browsed through the store. They had trouble deciding what supplies to pick - why were there so many brands of cat litter, anyway? - and ended up buying a little bit of everything for Plagg. Being a perfect gentleman, Adrien insisted on paying no matter how much Marinette protested. Finally, she gave up and let him cover the cost of everything.

It was already dark by the time Marinette and Adrien walked out of the store, both their arms ladened with shopping bags.

"Can't believe it's already this late!" Adrien remarked, his expression darkening as he lifted his head towards the periwinkle sky. It was getting darker and darker by the minute. "Why don't I walk you home?"

"I-I'm fine!" Marinette argued. "You've already payed for everything, I can't take up more of your time."

He looked at her intently, the intensity of his gaze making Marinette pause. His eyes reminded her of the way Chat Noir had gazed at her yesterday, before he had pounced back into his fight with Evillustrator. "It can be dangerous at night, especially for a girl walking by herself. Besides, you have to carry all these bags. Just think of me as an extra arm," he offered.

"You do have a point," she accepted. "Alright. Thank you, Adrien. For everything."

The two friends had barely covered a few blocks before a strange man stepped out from the shadows of a nearby building, blocking their path and stopping them in their tracks. Marinette stared at the man with her eyes wide in horror, because he wasn't just any man. She recognized him.

He looked exactly like Chat Noir, their outfits identical down to the black cat ears. But judging from the killing intent glinting in his eyes, she had an inkling that he wasn't the thief she knew and loved. She was aware of Adrien's body stiffening as he stood next to her, his expression of shock mirroring hers.

The Chat Noir look-alike opened his mouth, and a single word escaped from his lips. Even though it was just a single word, Marinette felt a shiver run down her spine as an evil smile spread across his face.

"_Jackpot_."

* * *

A/N: Hope everyone is staying safe! I appreciate all of you so much for your love and support, and thank you so much for all your reviews! I've loved reading every review!

Leave a review and let me know what you think? :)

(Poor Marinette, she can't catch a break with all these criminals going after her... But this is the calm before the storm. xD (Anyone know who the fake Chat Noir is? hehe :P )

Next chapter preview _\- Marinette and Adrien are attacked by a fake Chat Noir. Can they survive the fight? Marinette also finds out a little more of the truth... _


	13. Chapter 13

"._..Jackpot._"

The Chat Noir look-alike's evil grin grew wider as he spoke. It was the only part of his visage that Marinette and Adrien could see - his other features were covered by a black mask (she'd certainly ran into a lot of guys dressed in disguises lately, Marinette mused wryly in the back of her mind). "I found you, little girl."

Marinette's blood ran cold at his chilling words. Then she shook her head to bring herself back to her senses. No, this wasn't the time to be afraid. They had to get out of here, and fast. Her brain whirled as she tried to figure out an escape plan. She couldn't bear to put Adrien, sweet, cheerful Adrien, in harm's way. This was her problem, and she was going to protect him. But how could they get away from the fake Chat Noir? Would he be on the same skill level as her thief?

"...Copycat," Adrien muttered the man's identity, letting out a low growl that was uncharacteristic of the happy-go-lucky model.

"You know his name?" she asked incredulously, casting him a sidelong glance. The last thing she expected was for someone as innocent as Adrien to be familiar with the criminal underworld of Paris.

The model's eyes were trained on Copycat as he explained, "He was all over the news this morning. He's known for copying others in his crimes, especially Chat Noir." Somehow, he sounded bitter when he mentioned that the criminal preferred to copy Chat Noir. She wondered if he was secretly a fan of the notorious thief, but she didn't have time to dwell on the thought.

Her stomach dropped as she continued to listen to his explanation. Why hadn't she heard of him!? Then she remembered - it was because she had refused to turn on her phone that morning. She had missed such important news as a result of her negligence.

But there was no time to worry about that now. She still didn't have a plan, but maybe she could stall for time - until when, she didn't know. Maybe she was hoping that Chat Noir would come to her rescue again, or maybe the police would catch up to him. She had finally come to terms that she couldn't always rely on Chat Noir to rescue her, not after he'd cut ties with her for her sake.

"I knew he wasn't really Chat Noir!" She said loudly in an attempt to distract the criminal. Dropping her voice to a whisper, she added urgently to Adrien, "Adrien, listen. When I give you the signal, run." If she kept him occupied for long enough, Adrien could run and call for help. She turned back to face Copycat, ignoring the model as he furiously shook his head out of the corner of her eye. She didn't have time to argue with him if her mind was set on going through with this plan.

"How can you tell? Do you have any proof, girl? Or are you just bluffing to stall for time?" Copycat asked haughtily.

Damnit. He caught her. But she couldn't give him the satisfaction that he had been right on the mark. Marinette raked her brain for an answer to his question. What did she know about Chat Noir that could act as proof? There had to be something she could use...Her eyes lit up as an idea popped into her head. Aha, that's it!

"He...he has a scar!" she exclaimed triumphantly. Of course, she didn't know that for certain. But the wound he had received that night ten years ago had been particularly nasty. She would be surprised if it _didn't_ leave a scar. She was so focused on the fake Chat Noir that she didn't notice Adrien's hand hover reflexively over his stomach.

Copycat grinned at her. "Oh? That means you know him quite well, doesn't it? Even though he denied that you're his woman."

She couldn't let Chat Noir's efforts of denying his relationship with her go to waste, so she would play along and pretend that she didn't know him, too. "I don't know him," she said, but her heart still felt as though it was breaking when she admitted it out loud. "He was on the news all those years ago, and he had been hurt, then. Anyone can guess that he'd have a scar after getting all those nasty wounds, don't you think?"

"Oh? You're pretty smart, girl. I'm sure Master would be pleased to have you," Copycat mused, licking his lips hungrily.

His threat made Marinette tremble. He looked like Chat Noir, but he was so different, too. Even though Chat Noir was a thief, she trusted him, and knew that he would never hurt her. It was funny how two people that looked the same could act so different. She suddenly found herself missing Chat Noir so much more.

Adrien tensed beside her. "I don't know about you, but I'm not handing her over without a fight," he declared boldly, taking a step forward to stand protectively in front of her. She couldn't help but marvel at how broad and strong his back was in her eyes, his physique reminding her of Chat Noir's when the dangerous thief had protected her. She felt safe standing behind him - not just safe, but she also had the feeling that they could do anything if they worked together to overcome it.

"Marinette," he continued in a lower tone, the urgency in his voice making her breath catch. "You...you're telling me to run, but I can't leave a girl to face a criminal all by herself. Here, take these - " He placed the shopping bags into her arms, not giving her a chance to protest, then nodded towards the alley where the man had appeared from. "Can you do me a favor and hide in the alley for me? And promise me to keep your eyes closed, no matter what."

"W-What are you going to do?" she asked hesitantly. She couldn't believe that Adrien was prepared to fight for her. He was always so kind and gentle to her and his fans, like he was an angel. She didn't think he could bring himself to hurt another living soul. But, seeing determination sparkling in his eyes now...maybe he did have a chance, after all.

"I'm pretty good at fencing, if I do say so myself. I can handle him on my own," the famous model smirked confidently as he dropped into a ready stance, a Cheshire cat grin dancing across his face. He didn't appear to be scared or worried about the impending fight. In fact, he was almost _welcoming_ the challenge in front of him. Marinette's breath caught and her heart pounded painfully as she witnessed Adrien's sudden change in expression. It was an expression she knew too well. After all, there was only one other person who could pull off such a feat and make a sly grin look so sexy...

There was no way that Adrien could be connected to her thief, right?

"Well now, I'll just have to defeat you then take the girl anyway," the criminal decided, not sounding concerned at all that he had to face Adrien.

The model glared furiously at him. "Oh, I don't think so. I'd like to see you try!"

Taking this as her cue, Marinette reluctantly stepped back to give them some space. She longed to stay and watch, and to do anything to help, but she had promised Adrien that she would hide. She ducked into the alley, squeezing her eyes shut so she wouldn't be able to witness the battle.

She winced at the sound of metal clashing against metal, and felt goosebumps rise on her arms even though she had slipped on her signature gray blazer earlier. Her heart plummeted each time a painful grunt rang through the night.

After a few minutes passed, as she strained her ears to listen to what was happening, the sounds of the battle blended and blurred together. She couldn't ascertain who let out each pained gasp anymore.

What was going on? Was Adrien okay, or was he hurt? She hated not knowing what was happening, and not being able to do anything. She had tried to protect Adrien, but instead, he was the one risking his life for her. This was all her fault. She didn't know what she would do if he got hurt...She only knew that she would never forgive herself. She clenched her hand into a fist, frustration seeping off of her in waves. If only she was stronger, if only she knew how to fight, too...then she wouldn't be so helpless, and she wouldn't have to always rely on others to protect her.

Suddenly, the other man let out a blood-curdling scream, making the hairs on Marinette's arms stand on their ends. Unable to stand it any longer, her bluebell eyes flew open. She could only gap at the scene unfolding in front of her, torn between feelings of astonishment and dismay.

Adrien was hovering dangerously over the fake Chat Noir, the latter having collapsed onto the ground. It appeared that Adrien had just twisted the criminal's right arm, which was now dangling uselessly at an odd angle. Copycat grimaced in pain as he glowered at Adrien, but the model was completely unfazed. He simply stared coolly back at the wounded man, silently daring him to try anything - if he did, he would be as good as dead.

"Didn't your teachers ever warn you not to plagiarize in school? If I were you, I'd think twice before copying Chat Noir," Adrien warned, his eyes narrowing into green, catlike slits. "Chat Noir definitely isn't the type who'd let someone get away with tarnishing his name."

Marinette frowned, her eyes were glued to Adrien as he stood over the criminal. Why was he speaking for Chat Noir? Did they know each other? Now that she thought about it, they did both have the same soft, golden hair and beautiful green eyes. Maybe they were long, lost twins, or something...she scoffed. That might've been the case if this was a fairy tale or a movie. But this was reality. It was just a coincidence that they resembled each other physically, right?

"Damn you. Who the hell are you, boy?" Copycat spat, his breathing coming out in labored gasps.

"You don't need to know. Just stay the hell away from her, got it?" Adrien hissed. Marinette had never heard him sound so furious and threatening, and even she shivered at the terrifying tone of his voice. The fallen man grunted in response, which she took (hopefully) as a yes. Marinette was just glad that she wasn't on the receiving end of Adrien's wrath. If anyone threatened her like that, she'd probably do anything for them.

Adrien must've felt her gaze on him, for he turned and faced her with a small smile. To Marinette, his smile seemed sort of out of place, especially after he had just beaten and threatened a dangerous criminal. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Marinette. But it's over now. Let's go."

"Y-You - are you bleeding?" she gasped when her eyes fell on the blood plastered to his face.

Adrien shrugged, wiping the blood from his face with the back of his right hand. He didn't seem bothered by it, as if blood was something he saw on a daily basis. "Oh, this? It's nothing. This isn't mine," he said. "Come on. Let's get out of here before any more bad guys show up."

She nodded numbly. She let him pluck the shopping bags swiftly out of her arms, then hurried after him as he began walking like nothing out of the ordinary had happened, as though he hadn't just beaten a criminal in a fight. She didn't dare glance at Copycat as they passed him.

They trekked in silence on their way back to the bakery. Marinette was thankful for the silence, for she was too lost in her own thoughts to be having any kind of conversation with the boy beside her. Her brain was spinning with so many questions. Adrien...who was he, really? He had defeated Copycat like it was nothing. He wasn't just a model, was he? There must be something more to him. Because his actions that night reminded her so, so much of Chat Noir.

"I'm sorry if I scared you back there," Adrien apologized suddenly, pulling her out of her thoughts. "I had to end things quickly. I didn't want you to see that...but it looks like you saw anyway." He let out a humorless laugh.

Marinette shook her head fervently. "I wasn't scared! You protected me from him. So...thank you, Adrien," she murmured softly, her voice thick with emotion. "I don't care how dangerous you are in a fight. You'll always be my friend." She knew that was the truth. Even though they had only met recently, there was an odd familiarity about the supermodel, like she knew him from somewhere before. She could wholeheartedly say that they were friends, that she wasn't scared of being close to him. Not one bit.

"Do you really mean that?" he asked hopefully. He didn't have many friends growing up, so hearing her say that she thought of him as a friend meant the world to him, even if he didn't he deserved her friendship.

She nodded, giving him her brightest smile. "See, I'm not scared. Really. Besides, I'm kind of used to it now," she added dryly. It was true - she had been attacked quite a few times since her first encounter with Chat Noir. She hesitated, then voiced her next question timidly. "Hey, do you think...do you think you could teach me? How to fight, I mean?"

"You - you want to learn how to fight? Why?" Adrien asked, his emerald green eyes filled with surprise at her unexpected request.

"I...I hate standing back and not doing anything for you or for Cha - no, never mind - " she had almost said _for you or for Chat Noir_, but caught herself just in time. "I want to help you when you're fighting, too." She had used her wits to aid Chat Noir when he'd first rescued her from those awful criminals - she wanted to keep doing that, and even more. She wasn't just a helpless little girl anymore. She couldn't just keep running. She had to become stronger, too, if she wanted to be on the same level as Chat Noir. She couldn't always rely on the thief to protect her. He was avoiding her to keep her safe, but if she became stronger, she could show him that she could handle things on her own.

Hope bubbled in Marinette's chest as she looked at Adrien imploringly, her eyes filled with determination and resolve. She wasn't going to take no for an answer. When he still didn't answer right away, she added half-jokingly, "If you don't agree, I can always look for someone else to teach me."

Adrien scowled, feeling a stab of jealousy as he imagined another man teaching her. He buried his face in his hand so she couldn't see his expression of defeat. "I can never say no to you," he whispered. "If you say it that way...Very well. But keep in mind that I'll be pretty busy and won't have as much time to work with you as I'd like. I can teach you some basics of self defense, but it'll be up to you to keep practicing. Got it?"

She beamed at him, feeling happy for the first time in a long while. She couldn't believe he would actually agree to her request. "Got it! Oh, thank you, Adrien! Merci!" Without thinking, she flung her arms around him in a hug. She pulled back almost immediately, her cheeks burning and her arms tingling from when they brushed against his. She could still feel his lingering warmth on her skin, and she hugged herself to keep the warmth wrapped around her for just a little longer. "S-Sorry," she mumbled, falling into an awkward silence.

She liked Chat Noir...but why was she feeling this giddy around Adrien? Was it because his demeanor reminded her of the thief?

She never imagined herself as a girl who would fall for two guys, but here she was, torn between her feelings for both Adrien and Chat Noir. What was she going to do? What _could_ she do? The more reasonable choice would be to pick Adrien, but she couldn't just dismiss her bond with Chat Noir.

Urgh, why did her love life have to be so complicated? She was tempted to pull out her hair in frustration, but even then, she couldn't come up with an answer. "Oh, why did I have to go and fall for two guys?" she complained to herself.

"Hmm, what was that?" Adrien asked, tipping his head to one side innocently. Damn. His hearing was too good.

The budding designer's cheeks flushed. "N-Nothing! Nothing at all!"

She breathed out in relief as they approached the bakery's familiar front door.

"I'll send you a message when I'll have time to meet. I'm rather busy this upcoming next week, so it probably won't be until next weekend. You have my contact info from the project, right?" She nodded in confirmation, and he let out a grunt of satisfaction as he helped drop her bags off just inside the bakery.

"Hey, Adrien? D-Do you want to come in? I...I haven't thanked you for, you know..." Marinette invited hesitantly. She still didn't know how to repay him for saving her that night, but maybe she could bake something for him. It was the least she could do after he'd fought Copycat for her.

He paused by the door. "As tempting as that sounds, my father is probably going crazy over me missing all my photo shoots today. So it's probably best for me to get going."

"Oh," she mumbled, her eyes dropping to the floor in disappointment.

He hesitated for a moment, then leaned in towards her and gently patted her head - whether to reassure herself or him, she didn't know. Her cheeks blazed at the tenderness of his touch.

"Don't feel sad, alright? I'll see you again soon, you know. I'll just take a raincheck for next time," he winked at her, making her cheeks redden even more. "Until then," he bid her farewell, then turned to leave. She stood by the door in a daze, gazing after him until he became just a small dot in the distance. And then he was gone.

She closed the door softly with a sigh and stepped into the safety of her bakery. After carrying the bags upstairs into her room, she quickly set up everything they had bought for Plagg. Feeling satisfied with the cute but practical setup, she scooped the black kitten up into her arms. It looked like the kitten was adjusting to her room well.

"What do you think, Plagg? It's been one crazy night, hasn't it?" she asked, her voice laced with exhaustion as she plopped down onto her bed. Her soft mattress had never felt so inviting.

The kitten mewled in response, and she giggled, burying her face into his fur. That was the last thought on her mind as her eyes drooped, and it didn't take long for her to fall asleep, having no clue of the dangers taking place in the outside world all around her...

* * *

A mysterious man, wearing an expensive, silver dress suit, stood over Copycat's unconscious form. The limp body of the defeated criminal was sprawled on the ground after he had blacked out from the exuberating pain in his arm - the golden-haired boy had broken a bone, and it had hurt like hell.

Copycat was blissfully unaware that his boss was standing over him.

"Tsk tsk. You couldn't capture even one girl for me. How worthless," the man scoffed, his eyes full of distaste. "But...perhaps I can find one more use for you." As he spoke, he produced knife from the breast pocket of his white, button-up shirt. The silver blade glistened under the moonlight as he raised it high above his head, and then plunged it straight into Copycat's body. The wounded man shuddered violently before he laid completely still. He didn't even know what had hit him.

Now that the man's work had been completed, he bent down and, using the blood seeping out from the other criminal's wound, began to draw something on the ground.

Once he finished his job, he stood back and looked at his most brilliant plan yet with a smile filled with mirth. "How will you like my present to you, eh, Chat Noir?"

Cackling evilly, he melted into the darkness, leaving no evidence of his meddling behind except for the criminal's body and a single, bloody paw print.

* * *

A/N: Hope everyone is staying safe! I appreciate all of you so much for your love and support, and thank you so much for all your reviews! I've loved reading every one!

Hope everyone likes this chapter even though it was a lot darker! (I love detective stories, so I had to throw some murder mystery into the mix) I think this is one of my favorite chapters so far, hehe. A reviewer guessed that Felix is Copycat, which is such a good idea! I didn't think of that (since he ended up dying, and I didn't want to make any of the main characters bad guys D:), but maybe Felix and Luka will make an appearance later in the story. Hope you'll look forward to it! xD

Leave a review and let me know what you think? :)

Next chapter preview _\- Chat Noir becomes the prime suspect of a crime he didn't commit. He goes to one person he knows who trusts him unconditionally..._

(I can be evil and say that he goes to Master Fu, but there's someone else he trusts too! ;) Who could that be? ohoho)


	14. Chapter 14

Breaking news! Chat Noir, a Murderer? Who is the Mysterious Copycat?

_This morning, police stumbled across a horrifying crime scene where a body that looked like Chat Noir, or rather, the criminal Copycat, was found dead. Police suspect that the number one thief is the culprit of this terrible crime. We know this for a fact thanks to a bloody paw print that was left at the scene. Judging from the crime scene, it looks like there had been a scuffle of some kind before Chat Noir stabbed him with a knife._

_What was the reason for this crime? Is it because Chat Noir disliked the fact that someone was using his name? Right now, there is no sign of the thief, but detectives are working hard to solve this murder. Who really was Copycat, and why was he killed?_

_Stay tuned to find out the truth behind this shocking crime!_

* * *

"I messed up," Chat Noir sighed exasperatedly as he lounged in the battered armchair in the lobby of Motel L'Akuma.

He unwrapped a piece of chocolate - he'd snagged it from Master Fu's complimentary bowl of sweets - with his long, slender fingers. He hadn't taken up Marinette's offer to stay and indulge in desserts at her bakery, so chocolate would have to do for now, even though it could never compare to the fresh-out-of-the-oven, mouth-watering treats from her bakery. He popped the chocolate into his mouth, then almost spat it out again, shaking his head in disgust. Dark chocolate. He despised dark chocolate. It was too bitter, a feeling he'd become rather well-acquainted with recently.

After saying goodbye to Marinette, he had decided to pay Master Fu a visit - he hadn't felt like going back to the Agreste mansion just yet. He had came up with some stupid excuse to avoid hanging out at her place no matter how much he had wanted to stay, because he didn't trust himself if he was left alone with her.

He covered his face, which was now freed of blood after he'd washed it over and over in the guest restroom, with one arm.

"It's not like you to mess up, Chat Noir," Master Fu commented softly. The motel receptionist gazed kindly at the thief, knowing how much this was hurting him.

"I know," Chat Noir, also known as popular model Adrien Agreste, agreed with another frustrated sigh. He absentmindedly played with one of the curved claws attached to his glove as he continued, "I started talking to her as Adrien. I didn't expect anything would happen from it, but I had to save her as Adrien tonight because I didn't have time to change into Chat Noir. It won't take long for her to start getting ideas that we're the same person...and you know what she said? She told me that she wasn't scared of me, when she damn well should be." He muttered this all under one breath, shaking his head disapprovingly.

But still, he was unable to forget the kindness that sparkled in her eyes when she insisted that he was her friend. Why was she so damn pure and innocent? She didn't have to be so selfless, or to always look out for others - even when they'd encountered Copycat, she had begged for him to run while she bought time for him_._ She had offered to sacrifice herself when it should've been the other way around. But she did, and somehow, she saw good in him despite how rotten of a person he was.

Master Fu's eyes twinkled knowingly. "That just shows that she truly loves you, if she's ready to accept you no matter what. She's not the type of girl to give up easily, even if she's already risked so much. It's probably not my place to say this, but...You know, she was crying that night, when you sent her away with that artist friend of hers. You really should consider giving her a chance, Chat Noir."

"Tch. I'm not taking advice from some boring old man. What do you know about love, anyway?" Chat Noir scoffed half-jokingly, but he couldn't get rid of the foul taste in his mouth when he heard that he had been the one to make her cry.

"Well, this 'boring old man' knows far more than you'd think." Master Fu winked at the thief good-naturedly. He had long become used to Chat Noir's scathing comments and didn't mind them one bit. "As they say, 'old men are wise for a reason'."

The model-turned-thief raised an eyebrow questioningly, not buying the other man's words. "Is there really a saying that goes like that? You're just making things up now, aren't you?"

Suddenly, the phone that Chat Noir kept in his suit's hidden pocket buzzed loudly, making him frown thoughtfully. It was past midnight. Who would contact him at this hour of night?

He fished his phone out of his pocket, realizing that it was the one he used as Adrien that had rung (he kept a separate one for Chat Noir). The screen was lit up with about twenty missed messages from one Lila Rossi. He wasn't exactly friends with her, like he had explained to Marinette. In the world of celebrities, a star wouldn't work with someone because they were friends. They'd work together only to take advantage of each other, and that was exactly what his relationship with Lila was like.

But...whatever reason she had for sending a dozen messages in the middle of the night, it probably wasn't good.

_Adrien, are you there? __Did you see the news?_

_OMG, they're saying that Chat Noir killed Copycat! __They just released an article on it! _

Chat Noir froze as he scanned the messages, an uneasiness settling in the pit of his stomach as each message became worse and worse.

"What's wrong?" Master Fu asked when he felt the temperature suddenly drop, making the room feel much chillier.

In response to Master Fu's question, Chat Noir wordlessly pulled up a news article on his phone, then chucked it across the room at the receptionist. Master Fu only barely managed to catch it, awkwardly juggling the phone between his hands before finally securing it. Then he quickly began to read. "They're saying that you're Copycat's killer?" he repeated in disbelief, glancing up at the thief when he was done.

Chat Noir nodded. "Yup, that's what they're saying."

"Even though you've never killed an enemy before, right?" Master Fu demanded, walking over to Chat Noir to hand him the phone.

"Apparently they found a bloody paw print at the scene. This means that someone was trying to frame me." He shrugged, not sounding too concerned about his current predicament. In fact, he felt more annoyed than worried. Someone was messing with his plans, and he didn't like it.

Copycat was dead? To say that that was surprising was an understatement. He had definitely left the criminal alive after their little brawl...Who could've killed him in the short time since he and Marinette had left the scene? And why would they frame him for the murder?

Actually, he had a very good idea as to who would frame him. There was only one person who despised him enough to want to see him locked behind bars...A cheshire grin spread across his lips. If this was the game that his archenemy was going to play, then he would play along to entertain him.

The police wanted evidence to capture the culprit, right? Then evidence they would get. Even better, he would present it to them on a silver platter, to show them - not just them, but the world - that the mastermind behind everything was Hawk Moth.

But there was something he had to do first. Knowing Marinette, the budding fashion designer would only be too eager to help prove his innocence in the Copycat case. But he couldn't bring himself to get her involved. He'd only barely managed to convince Hawk Moth that she had nothing to do with him, and he couldn't have his enemy getting any more ideas if she became entangled in this case.

He let out a long sigh. No matter how hard he tried to push her away, he was still drawn to her and somehow always ended up by her side, whether he was protecting her as Chat Noir or hanging out with her as Adrien.

Damn it. Maybe he was a fool, but he couldn't help it. No matter how much he hated to admit it, Master Fu was right.

* * *

Marinette's eyes bulged in disbelief as she read the news the next morning. Copycat was dead - and he was killed by Chat Noir!? But that couldn't be possible! After all, he had been very alive (well, he had been unconscious, but still) when she and Adrien had left him in that dark alley. She knew Adrien had only hurt him enough to get his message across, and that there was no way sweet, caring Adrien could've been the one who inflicted a life-threatening wound on him.

Not to mention that she knew that Chat Noir would never kill someone. Despite the fact that he was a thief, he only went for valuable items in his heists and had never killed anyone before. He'd even kept his promise to her, which showed that he could care about someone if he wanted to. Why would he change his ways now?

And besides, unless her memory proved her wrong, a paw print had definitely not appeared at the scene when the two had last seen Copycat. But the article couldn't have been mistaken, for it clearly stated that a bloody paw print had been discovered there.

And now that she studied the paw print in the photo carefully, she noticed that there was something odd about it. She had gazed dreamily at Chat Noir's signature paw print so many times that she'd memorized its design by heart. But this paw print was different. It almost felt...out-of-place compared to his usual signatures. It had been drawn shakily, almost as though...almost as though...

Her eyes widened as realization dawned on her. Someone _else_ must've hastily placed it there.

Was someone trying to frame Chat Noir for the crime...?

"This doesn't make sense," she said out loud, glaring at her phone. How dare it accused Chat Noir of being a killer!

"What doesn't make sense?" a sly voice called unexpectedly from somewhere above her.

She started, nearly jumping out of her skin in surprise. She quickly glanced up towards the ceiling in an attempt to identify the source of the voice, and her mouth dropped to the floor at the sight that greeted her.

Chat Noir's head was popping out from the trap door on the ceiling. Wait a minute...Chat Noir's head? What was his head, or any part of him, really, even doing here!? She wasn't seeing things, was she?

She rubbed her eyes and stared again. Nope, his head was still there, looking more amused than ever.

"C-Cha - " she began, but he moved faster than a bullet. Before she could utter his name, he had slinked to her side and clamped her mouth shut with one of his clawed gloves.

"I'm a wanted man right now," he reminded her conspiringly, winking at her as he spoke. "You don't want to give me away by saying my name, do you?"

Marinette could only wordlessly shake her head in response. Even if she could speak, she didn't think she could trust her mouth to form a coherent sentence at that moment - her brain had turned to mush at the sound of his deep, alluring voice. Satisfied with her response, he released his grip on her and leaned back against her pink bedroom wall casually. "That's a good girl."

She opened her mouth, but she could only gap at him in shock. In her mind, she had planned so many things she wanted to talk to him about - not to mention the million questions she longed to ask him - the next time they would meet. But it was funny how, despite everything she wanted to say, she found herself completely tongue-tied as she gawked at his handsome features.

Thankfully, her brain started functioning again. "W-What are you doing here?" she finally managed to whisper, taking extra care to keep her voice down this time. Her parents were probably already starting the day downstairs, and she didn't want to alert them to Chat Noir's presence. Her heart was still racing from his sudden appearance. She hadn't expected to see him at all, especially so early in the morning. And not to mention that he was here, in her room, no less! This wasn't a dream, was it? She pinched her cheek, wincing as she felt a stab of pain. Nope, she definitely wasn't dreaming.

Suddenly, her mind began to panic again. Her room was clean, right? Had she left anything embarrassing out? She discretely scanned her room with her eyes, freezing when her gaze fell on a poster of Adrien advertising his newest fragrance (_Radiant. Carefree. Dreamy_. She could recite the exact words by heart.) plastered innocently to the wall by her writing desk. She'd hung it up after becoming his fan - er, friend. She meant friend!

Crap. She could only hope that Chat Noir hadn't noticed it. But knowing that he was a thief, and considering the fact that thieves were especially aware of their surroundings, he probably already had.

She coughed nervously to hide her embarrassment when she realized that Chat Noir was still patiently waiting for her to continue, a knowing smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Isn't it too dangerous for you to be out here, especially at this time of day?"

"Don't forget I'm a thief," he said by way of an explanation. He wasn't concerned with the police catching him yet. They hadn't even so much as caught a single hair of his since he'd become a thief. He knew every nook and cranny of Paris by heart, after all. He could escape no matter what situation he found himself in. "I came to give you a little warning, that's all. I take it you've heard the news?" he questioned, getting straight to the point.

"Yes, I heard. What was that about, anyway?" Marinette couldn't help asking, making a face at the unpleasant news. She hadn't had a chance to talk to him in so long, but when she finally did, it was because he had become entangled in a murder case. It wasn't fair that she never had a chance to spend time alone with him, just the two of them - with no one out to kidnap her, or to hunt him down... "That's what I meant earlier when I said that it doesn't make sense. You couldn't have killed him, right?"

He danced over to her side, scooping up a lock of her dark-colored hair (she'd let it down when she slept) in his right hand and placing a kiss on it. "Here's a question for ya, little lady. What would you do...if I _was_ a killer? Would you still want me to be in your room with you..._alone_?" he accentuated the last word, his eyes glinting dangerously.

Her cheeks flushed a brilliant shade of red despite herself. He was close, too close. But she found that she didn't mind it, not one bit. "It's funny that you'd ask. I know you would never kill anyone," she declared, craning her head so she could meet his gaze evenly.

"You say you know that for sure, eh? But you still don't know so much about me, like who I really am. What would you do if I'm really a killer?" He asked, leaning even closer to her so he could whisper into her ear.

She sucked in a breath. He was still a mystery to her, that much was true. But she did know, without a doubt, that she had complete faith in him. "You're not," she insisted. "If you were, I wouldn't be here now. You could've killed me when I was a child, but you didn't hurt me at all. Not to mention that you kept your promise to protect me, even after all those years. So, I know you're not." She gave him a triumphant grin, and he let out a sigh of defeat.

"I'm no match for you," he muttered to himself. He had acted harshly to convince her to give up on him, but even then, she shot down his words without batting an eye. She was too trusting, but maybe that was why he was so drawn to her. "Anyways, back to business. I came here to warn you to not get involved in the case."

She opened her mouth to argue, but one piercing look from his mesmerizing emerald eyes was enough to make her fall silent. "It's too dangerous. Hawk Moth may have given up on using you to get to me, but if you haven't noticed, he's changed tactics this time. If he gets wind of the fact that you're involved, that would pique his interest in you all over again. That means that all my hard work in keeping you away from me would've been for nothing. You see what I mean, little lady?" He asked, reverting back to using the old nickname he had for her.

She desperately wanted to help him, to do something, anything, to repay him for all the times he had protected her. But he did have a point. She nodded reluctantly. "Why - why did you come?"

"I would've asked Master Fu to deliver the message to you, but I figured considering how stubborn you are, you'll probably ignore his warning and insist on getting involved anyway. So, to spare the messenger, I came to tell you myself," he explained.

She couldn't argue with that, because what he had deduced was true. She _had_ been trying to figure out how she could prove his innocence. Even now, despite him warning her not to get involved, she was still deciding what she could do for him...

Chat Noir raised an eyebrow at her, as though he could read her mind. "Don't go getting any ideas now. I'm a thief. I'll be fine. If anything happens to you..." he trailed off. He couldn't bring himself to say that he would never forgive himself if anything happened to her. "Besides, I have a plan, so don't worry about me. You should worry more about yourself for once, little lady." He flicked her forehead with his fingers. Marinette made a face at the contact and hid her head behind her hands.

"Ouch! What was that for?" she complained, pouting at him. She was torn between believing in him, but also wanting to help him. Why did everything have to be so complicated?

"That was for letting those guy friends of yours get away while you stayed to fend for yourself," he tutted disapprovingly, referring to when she'd tried to get Adrien and Nathaniel to run away in her place. "How reckless are you?"

She ducked her head sheepishly. "You - how did you know about that?"

"A thief always has the means to get what he wants," he responded mysteriously.

She was touched that he cared about her wellbeing, even if he was trying to deny it. She longed to ask him why he had come to speak to her now, after he had done everything to prove to Hawk Moth that they didn't know each other. But she had a feeling that if she broached the subject to him, he would leave her for good and never come back again. And she knew she would never want that.

For now, she was just happy that he was speaking to her again instead of avoiding her like the plague.

"I'll - I'll be more careful next time," she mumbled.

He nodded in satisfaction, reaching out an arm to ruffle her hair. "You'd better."

"You be careful, too," she begged. It frustrated her to no end that he was in even more danger now, how unfair it was for him to be risking his life so much when she couldn't do anything for him.

His gaze softened. "I told you, I'll be fine. Well, then - "

He was just about to leave when a meow sounded from next to them. The two turned towards the sounds to see that Plagg had leapt onto her bed and was sniffing the thief curiously. "Hmm? When'd you get a cat?" he asked. He sounded almost too innocent, like he knew something that she didn't.

"This is Plagg. My friend gave him to me. Isn't he cute?" Marinette explained, her eyes shining as Chat Noir gingerly held out his hand for the little kitten to inspect. She couldn't help think that it was rather endearing to witness Paris's most notorious cat burglar playing with an adorable kitten. She giggled at the sight in front of her.

Now that she thought about it, Plagg did resemble Chat Noir - they were both clad in black, and had shining green eyes. She vaguely remembered Adrien mentioning that the cat had reminded him of a certain someone. Maybe he really had meant Chat Noir when he had said that?

To her surprise, Plagg began to purr, snuggling happily against Chat Noir's hand. The kitten wasn't fazed at all by the sharp blades protruding from the thief's fingertips. She was shocked at how quickly Plagg had taken a liking to him, almost like they already knew each other. But that couldn't be possible, right?

"You'd better take good care of her, you hear me, Plagg?" Chat Noir ordered the kitten. "Otherwise, there would be no more Camembert for you."

The kitten mewled in protest at the thief's ultimatum, while Marinette frowned. "Camembert?"

"Doesn't he seem like the type of cat who likes Camembert?" Chat Noir asked innocently, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

Marinette wasn't convinced by his explanation. "Maybe. Can cats even eat cheese?" she asked doubtfully.

Teasing her was fun, so fun that he almost didn't want to leave. But he only came to give her the warning. He'd already stayed longer than he had planned. "Why don't you find out for yourself?" he asked. "Anyways, I'm off. See ya around, little lady." He waved to her with one arm, then nimbly leapt onto the ladder that led to the attic's trapdoor. She blinked, and he was gone.

She exchanged a glance with Plagg, who looked back at her with big, round eyes. "Do you really like Camembert, Plagg?"

The kitten only meowed back at her.

She sighed, falling back onto her bed. That had certainly been an eventful morning, she thought as she tried to calm her speeding heart. Chat Noir had warned her not to get involved, but she couldn't help it. This was the one thing she could do to repay him for all the kindness he'd shown her. She would just have to be especially careful in order to not alert Hawk Moth of her involvement. Chat Noir didn't even have to know that she was helping him.

But...what could she do? Where would she even start?

That was when a lightbulb flashed in her mind. Mr. Fu had definitely known more than he was letting on when he'd shown up with Chat Noir's message the night she had went on her date with Nathaniel.

Perhaps it was time for her to return to that sketchy, old motel...

* * *

A/N: Hope everyone is staying safe! Thank you all so much for all of your wonderful reviews, you guys really made my day!

(You know I had to throw in Adrien's fragrance in there somewhere hehe). It's about time for another Marichat moment xD I loved writing this chapter, hope you enjoyed it too!

Leave a review and let me know what you think? :)

Next chapter preview _\- Marinette goes to Master Fu for help. It's another school day, but her mind is still on her beloved thief... _


	15. Chapter 15

Marinette had finally made up her mind to search for the motel where she had once stayed with Chat Noir...but it was easier said than done!

She glanced down at the map she had pulled up on her phone, then back at the street sign she was currently standing under. She had definitely passed this very sign not even a few minutes ago...so how had she ended up in this exact same corner _again_?

She sighed in frustration. Her feet were aching after running around in circles the entire afternoon. It was already getting late, and she still had school tomorrow. Maybe she should just give up and go home after all…

"This is getting ridiculous!" Marinette complained to herself, then she snorted when she realized something. She was starting to sound like Chloe, and the last thing she wanted was to be compared to the mayor's daughter.

She was determined to find Mr. Fu. This wasn't the time to be giving up!

With her resolve renewed, she studied the map carefully again. But she couldn't have been mistaken. It clearly showed that Motel L'Akuma should be just around this corner…

Footsteps suddenly sounded behind her, making her shiver. She spun around, just in time to notice an older, ragged man following her, his body swaying drunkenly as he did so. Every hair in her body screamed at her to run.

"Are you lost, lady?" the man slurred, stumbling over his own two feet as he tried to approach her. He was definitely drunk. She wrinkled her nose at the smell of alcohol that reeked from his body.

"No, I'm fine!" she squeaked, then quickened her pace to shake him off. She thanked the gods that he was too drunk to try anything, but she didn't relax until she made sure she had put a good distance between her and the suspicious man. Why was she always getting into trouble with weird guys?

_Come on, come on_...she thought desperately, once again turning back to her search for the peculiar motel. It had to be here! "Mr. Fu...where are you?" she mumbled. Great, now she was talking to herself, too. She really was going to go mad if she didn't find this troublesome motel soon...

She had never felt so relieved when she finally spotted the motel's conspicuous logo looming in front of her. How could she have missed its bright, neon-colored sign? She shook her head in confusion before she ran the remaining distance into the lobby, not stopping until she was safely inside. She bent over to catch her breath.

"I didn't think I'd see you again, Miss Marinette," Mr. Fu's voice, laced with surprise, greeted her from where he sat behind the receptionist's desk.

"Mr. Fu," she gasped in relief once her breathing finally returned to normal, "I finally found you!"

"You were looking for me?" The kind, old man's eyes sparkled as his gaze fell upon her, as though he knew exactly why she was there.

Marinette wasn't in the mood for him to beat around the bush after she'd spent so much time searching for him, so she decided to go straight for the point. "Yes, I was. I was thinking...You're friends with Chat Noir, aren't you?" she asked.

"Oh? Why would you say that?" he asked, still smiling that mysterious, knowing smile.

"You passed along a message from him to me before," she reminded Mr. Fu, raising her right index finger to keep track of her reasons. "And...that night when we first met, you asked me if I was there with _him_. You were referring to Chat Noir then, weren't you?"

Master Fu's smile broadened as she provided him with her evidence. "I knew you were smart, Miss Marinette! You could say that, but at the same time...we're not exactly friends."

Marinette tipped her head to one side, furrowing her brows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Knowing that he probably won't tell you this himself, I'll tell you something even more interesting in exchange for figuring out this much all on your own. You see..._I'm_ the one who made him Chat Noir," he revealed, his unexpected words making her heart skip a beat.

"Y-You were?" she exclaimed, her eyes stretching wide in surprise. This was something Marinette would have never imagined - the kindhearted old man definitely didn't seem like the type who was a thief, or who would make Chat Noir a thief. Then again, one couldn't really judge someone based on appearances, she reminded herself dryly. This was definitely something she had a lot of experience with lately.

Mr. Fu stroked his short, grey beard with a solemn expression as he recalled the past. "Chat Noir wished for a way to escape from his everyday life. He felt trapped. And so, I offered him the opportunity to have a taste of freedom in exchange for his help with something. I'm too old to be stealing anything for myself, you know?" Mr. Fu laughed lightheartedly, as though they were discussing mundane, everyday topics like the weather instead of the illicit art of thievery.

"What is he helping you out with?" Marinette asked. She leaned forward eagerly, completely engrossed by his story. It had always been her dream to get to know more about the thief, and she was grateful to finally have the opportunity to discover what kind of person he was like before they had met. The trials she had gone through on her way to the motel were nothing compared to everything she was learning from Mr. Fu now. It had definitely been worth coming here after all.

"It's a secret," Mr. Fu said with a wink. As her shoulders slumped in disappointment, he added bemusedly, "I suppose I can tell you a little more. He's helping me look for, ah, a certain artifact - or rather, _artifacts,_ that I lost a long time ago."

Chat Noir...so he hadn't stolen anything for himself, after all. Instead, everything he had done was to help Mr. Fu. She smiled fondly as she imagined him in her mind. She knew he was a good person, and it turned out she had been right. There was absolutely no way that he would be a killer.

"But I take it you didn't come all this way just to ask about his backstory?" Mr. Fu prompted, gesturing for her to speak with a wave of his hand.

Marinette mentally prepared herself to ask her request."You're right, I didn't. I came to ask for your help."

"My help, you say?" Mr. Fu repeated, his eyes sparkling with interest.

"Yes. Chat Noir...he's in danger, and it's all my fault. And I...I want to help him, but I have no idea where to start." She clenched her hand into a fist, feeling frustrated by her helplessness. "The police think that he killed Copycat, but I know he's innocent. Isn't there anything we can do to prove them wrong?" She looked at Mr. Fu pleadingly, hoping that he would have an answer.

"I can see that your heart is set on helping him," Mr. Fu stated thoughtfully. "I'd like to help him too, you know. But he's a stubborn one, that Chat Noir. I take it he's warned you not to get involved?"

Marinette inclined her head glumly.

After silently debating the best course of action for a few moments, Mr. Fu turned and fixed his gaze on her, his brown eyes serious. "It will be very dangerous for you to get involved. Are you still willing to help him, despite knowing this?"

"I know it'll be dangerous, but I'll do anything to prove his innocence!" Marinette declared, her eyes filled with determination. She'd already made up her mind to help him, no matter what the cost. She owed him that much, at least, for all the times he had protected her.

"He's lucky to have someone like you by his side," the mysterious receptionist murmured softly, his lips curling upward into a smile. "Very well. I'm still trying to think of a plan myself, but it would help me tremendously if you could gather some intel for me."

"What kind of intel?" Marinette wondered, blinking curiously at him.

"Anything that would help in our investigation," Mr. Fu explained patiently. "For example, if you hear anything regarding Copycat's employer, or their reason for killing him..."

"Got it," Marinette agreed, making a mental note to keep track of the information Mr. Fu asked her to help find.

"And as you know, a bar is a valuable source of information, especially for a case like this," he went on. "And I happen to know of one that criminals love to frequent. It's called L'Akuma, which is not affiliated with my motel in any way," he added bemusedly when Marinette's eyes widened in surprise. The reason he'd chosen that particular name for his motel was to spite Hawk Moth. But that wasn't something Marinette needed to know, at least not yet.

"L'Akuma, right?" she confirmed, shifting her foot nervously. She had never set foot in a bar before, and the thought of going to one was a little daunting. But this was for Chat Noir, she reminded herself. She could do anything if it would help her thief. "Alright. I'll go and see if I can find any information for you."

"That would be excellent! Oh, and I'm sure that you know not to reveal your identity in a place swarming with criminals, right? I'd recommend for you to go with a disguise," he added with a wink.

Marinette's mind whirled as she began to formulate a plan in her mind. Now, disguising was something she _could_ do. She had to admit that it was rather exciting to imagine her going on an important mission wearing an outfit she had designed herself. It was time to put her skills to the test...

"Of course! I'll think of something. Don't worry about me," she reassured him with a small smile.

"Great!" Mr. Fu clapped his hands in anticipation before continuing, "By the way, the bar is usually bustling with activity on weekends, so I would go next Friday or Saturday. Oh, and before I forget, here's the address."

He quickly jotted down the bar's name and address on a brightly colored post-it note before he passed it to her. "Take care on your way back, alright?" he implored, signaling the end of their conversation.

"I will. Bye, Mr. Fu. And thank you for your help, I won't let you down!" She grinned at him, then turned and hurried out of the motel without glancing back.

Master. Fu watched her go until she disappeared from his line of sight, his normally friendly eyes darkening. Only once he made sure that she was no longer within earshot did he mutter to himself, "I only hope that Chat Noir won't kill me for meddling..."

* * *

The following day was a school day, but school was the last thing on Marinette's mind. She had an important task she had to do that upcoming weekend, but she still had no idea what kind of disguise she would design. But one thing she did know was that she couldn't let Mr. Fu down.

Hmm...speaking of designs...

She had been working on a gorgeous, ladybug-patterned gown for her entry for Adrien's design contest. It had been a while since she had last worked on it, but what if she borrowed that design and modified it to conceal her identity? She could create an outfit similar to Chat Noir's sleek, black suit but incorporate a red and black pattern to it. A ladybug suit would not only be the perfect design, but would allow her to move around easily in it, too. Not to mention that it would look cute.

Chat Noir...black cats were known as the bringers of bad luck and misfortune. She would become a ladybug, a symbol of good luck, to bring him good fortune for a change. He definitely deserved it after all the hardship and struggles he'd been through.

She smiled in satisfaction as she made up her mind.

"Good morning, Marinette!"

Marinette lifted her head in time to see a certain artist hesitantly walk toward her.

She remembered with a jolt that the last time she had spoken to Nathaniel had been the night of their date the previous week. There had been so many crazy things that had happened since then, so much that she hadn't had a chance to really mull over her feelings for her shy classmate. But she knew she should probably set things straight with him.

"Oh, hi, Nathaniel! And I'm...er, sorry for ruining our date," she apologized sheepishly. She wasn't sure how to broach the subject to him, so she tried to make everything that had transpired that night as vague as possible.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, sounding puzzled. "Our date was fantastic! Hey, do you want to go on another one sometime?" He added with a hopeful expression.

"I'm sorry?" she asked. It was now her turn to feel confused. "Didn't we get attacked..." she trailed off with a frown.

The way Nathaniel had been acting just now...it was as though he had completely forgotten about their fight with Evillustrator, and his encounter with Chat Noir. Well, she wasn't going to push the subject if he had forgotten. It was better this way - and this meant that he hadn't reported the incident to the police, after all.

It would be for the best if she didn't press the issue with him. "You know what, never mind. But I'm sorry, Nathaniel. I...I actually have someone else that I like, so I can't go out with you anymore," she mumbled, unable to meet his eyes. It was only fair to Nathaniel that she reveal the truth to him before things went out of hand, but she still felt extremely guilty for turning him down when he had risked his own safety to protect her. He may have forgotten, but she would always remember for him. It was the least she could do for him, after he had bravely stood up for her that night.

"Oh," he said, his eyes flickering with disappointment. He looked as though he was about to say something else, but after a few moments of awkward silence, he shrugged in defeat. "Well...I hope things work out for you, Marinette." With those final words, he headed back to his desk without so much as another glance at her.

Marinette's heart ached. She could only hope that one day, they would be able to become friends again. She heaved a sigh as she watched him return to his desk, where he started conversing with his friend Marc as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"Good for you, girl!" Alya remarked suddenly from next to Marinette, making the bluenette jump in surprise. She had been so focused on Nathaniel that she hadn't heard her best friend approach.

"You scared me, Alya!" she pouted, glaring at her. But she couldn't stay angry at her for long. "Er...so you heard us, huh?"

Alya smirked at her. "Of course I did. So, is this guy who you have a crush on Adrien?" she teased, draping an arm around Marinette's shoulders in a friendly manner as they sat down at their own desks.

"Uh-huh," Marinette mumbled, not denying it but not confirming it, either. She wondered if she could ask Alya whether it was normal to have a crush on two guys at the same time. She was so tempted to ask, but then thought better of it. Knowing her friend, she would definitely ask a lot of questions if Marinette brought the topic up. "Anyway, did you hear about Chat Noir being Copycat's killer?" she pressed, changing the subject. She was dying to know what her friend thought about the case.

"I did! I was surprised to hear that! I mean, he's always been popular with girls, and he's never killed anyone before, so it's a surprise that he would actually...kill someone." Alya murmured thoughtfully.

"I know right?" Marinette agreed, feeling relieved that her friend shared the same thoughts as her on Chat Noir. "But what if...someone set him up?"

"You think so? Would anyone hate him enough to frame him?" Alya wondered.

Marinette realized that Alya did have a point. Someone must really hate Chat Noir for them to have framed him for something as awful as a murder. "You do have a point...What if there _was_ someone who's out to defeat him? Let's say that they...wanted to take the number one spot, and Chat Noir was in their way?" She thought out loud.

Her stomach churned as realization dawned on her. There _was_ one person who had their sights on him. Someone who didn't bat an eye to doing cruel things, like kidnapping her, just to get to him.

Someone like...Hawk Moth.

Alya exchanged a glance with Marinette, curiosity brimming in her eyes. "You've been thinking an awful lot about this, girl. You're pretty interested in Chat Noir, eh?"

"N-Not at all!" Marinette denied quickly, waving her hands in front of her in protest. But she couldn't stop a faint blush from creeping onto her cheeks. "I just...I hate when someone is blamed for a crime that they didn't commit. It's not fair."

Alya hummed thoughtfully as she considered Marinette's point. "Why don't you ask Sabrina for help?" she suggested suddenly.

"Sabrina?" Marinette asked.

"Yes. Her father is a policeman, right? I heard he's been on the Chat Noir case. Maybe he would know something."

Marinette beamed at Alya, then leapt on her friend and wrapped her tightly in a hug. "Oh, that would be great! Thank you, thank you, Alya!"

Throughout that day, Marinette wished that her classes would go by faster so she could speak to Sabrina after school...

* * *

"Hi, Sabrina!" Marinette began nervously as she walked up to the short-haired girl after school.

Sabrina frowned suspiciously as the other girl approached her. "Marinette...What do you want? Are you here to copy my homework, too? You're just like Chloe, aren't you?"

"No!" Marinette threw her hands up in frustration. Why was everyone comparing her to Chloe? "I...I just wanted to talk. Do you have a second?"

"I'm meeting Chloe in a bit so she can show me the new blouse that her dad got her. She said I could wear it if I did the alumni project interview for her," Sabrina said dreamily, ignoring the odd looks the designer was shooting her. "But I suppose I do have some time before then. What do you want?"

Marinette hesitated. She hadn't really planned beforehand how she would bring the subject of a certain thief up to Sabrina without sounding too suspicious. But she would just have to go along with it and hope for the best. "Er...how's your dad doing?"

"Why are you asking about my dad?" She questioned, her eyes narrowing. Of course she would be suspicious, Marinette thought with an inward groan.

"You know...with the whole Chat Noir thing," Marinette explained. "He's working on the case, isn't he?"

Sabrina pushed her wide-framed glasses up her nose. "Oh, if that's what you're asking about...The case is going great! Papa is confident that they will catch Chat Noir soon."

Those words sent a shiver down Marinette's spine. "Do they have evidence that he's the culprit?" she couldn't help asking.

"Not yet, but they're working with a famous detective, Felix. You might've heard of him. I'm sure they'll get the evidence they need!" Sabrina crowed, puffing out her chest proudly. Her classmate really was supportive of her father, Marinette thought, just like how passionate she was when it came to supporting her family's bakery. She couldn't bring herself to dislike Sabrina or her father, despite him being a policeman out to capture Chat Noir.

Marinette had heard about Felix on the news before. Apparently he was Adrien's cousin, a famous detective known for his good looks. (What was with the Agreste family and their striking good looks? Marinette couldn't help thinking to herself with a roll of her eyes.) He was so skilled that no culprit had ever escaped from his grasp.

To think that someone as talented as him would be on Chat Noir's case...this was going to be tougher than she had hoped. She wondered how she could warn Chat Noir about Felix.

Just then, Sabrina's phone buzzed, making her gasp. She quickly checked the message before turning back to Marinette. "Oh wow! My papa just said that Chat Noir sent a notice to the police that revealed that he'll be stealing a painting from the Louvre! _The Louvre_!" She repeated the name of the famous museum, stressing just how insane it was for the thief to choose such a heavily guarded museum.

Marinette's eyes widened. Chat Noir...he was still stealing something even though he'd just been framed for a crime. What was he thinking? How reckless could he be?

Then again, he'd personally revealed to her that he already had a plan, she reminded herself. She knew she should believe in him. Perhaps he was doing this to send a message to Hawk Moth, to tell him that no matter what the villain tried, he would never be able to stop him.

But Marinette couldn't shake off the feeling in the pit in her stomach that something bad was going to happen. She had to warn Chat Noir about Felix.

She gratefully grabbed Sabrina's hands and held them in her own. "Thank you for your help, Sabrina! Oh, look at the time! I'm supposed to be...er...feeding my cat right now. I'm just going to go now! Yeah, bye!" she laughed nervously, then edged her way towards the door. She waved to Sabrina, then darted out of the room before the other girl could question her odd behavior.

"But I...I didn't even do anything?" Sabrina called after Marinette, but it was no use.

The girl was already gone.

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much for all of your wonderful reviews and support, I'm so glad everyone liked the last chapter! There will be more Marichat moments in the upcoming chapters, so please look forward to them~ XD (I always love adding references from the ML episodes, hehe. I hope you like them too!)

Happy belated birthday to my guest reviewer! Thank you for following and always reviewing the story! :)

Ohoho, the plot is thickening! Leave a review and let me know what you think? :)

Next chapter preview _\- Marinette goes to the Louvre to give Chat Noir a message about Felix, but things don't go exactly as planned... _


	16. Chapter 16

Marinette skidded to a halt in front of the world-famous Musée du Louvre, her breath coming out in gasps. She had practically jogged the entire distance from the bus stop to the museum's entrance in her haste to reach Chat Noir in time.

But she did have a slight problem, which was that she hadn't really formulated a plan on how she would reach Chat Noir, or what she would do after she did meet him. But there wasn't anything she could do about that now. She glanced at her surroundings, her heart sinking when she noticed the suspiciously large number of reporters and guards that were lingering at the scene. No doubt they were trying to get a view of Paris's number one thief.

She may not have a plan...but she would just have to try.

Marinette strode towards the popular Pyramid entrance, a gorgeous pyramid made of glittering glass, with her head held high. She could only hope that she wasn't acting too suspiciously. Maybe she could pass as a reporter, and she would be able to sneak in with the others -

But she hadn't even reached the sliding glass doors before a guard blocked her path. So much for pretending to be a reporter...

"Miss, do you have any business here? You don't look like a reporter," the guard, wearing the typical security officer uniform, questioned her in a gruff voice. She couldn't see his expression under the wide brim of the cap that sat on his head.

Crap. Well, it looked like she would have to scratch that idea. "Er, I'm just visiting the museum for an art project!" She lied quickly. "I'm a student, and we have a project due tomorrow. Please let me in!" Suddenly getting an idea, she pulled out her student ID from her backpack and waved it at the guard. At least the part about her being a student wasn't exactly a lie, she told herself.

The guard shook his head firmly, not even bothering to glance at her ID. "Sorry, Miss, but there are no visitors allowed at this time. Why don't you run along now?" Of course they wouldn't let a student in at a time like this, Marinette thought grimly. But she couldn't give up, not when she was so close.

"Please, sir!" she begged, clasping her hands together and leaning towards the older man desperately. That was when she had an epiphany, and remembering the way Chloe would act to get what she wanted (Marinette was prepared to do anything at this point), she batted her eyelashes at him in what she hoped was a convincing manner. "My grades depend on this!"

"You can come back tomorrow," he said stiffly, not changing his mind.

Marinette gave up with a sigh of disappointment, deciding instead to head towards the back of the museum. She could only hope that the security would be more lax there. But alas, there was just as many guards out and about as there had been in the front entrance.

They really were going all out for Chat Noir, weren't they?

But however was she going to find him now? It would be impossible for him to spot her, a single person lost in a sea of people. She paced back and forth as she tried to think of a plan, tears of frustration threatening to spill from her eyes. She really should've thought this through better before she came here.

Just then, she heard an excited voice call out, "It's Chat Noir - he's here!"

Almost at once, everyone began pushing madly towards the source of the voice, eager to be the first one to catch a glimpse of the notorious thief. Marinette gritted her teeth in pain when a reporter shoved her to the ground, not even apologizing as she dashed away.

"Well, excuse me!" Marinette yelled after the girl, but she didn't receive a reply. Marinette gingerly inspected her knee, which was now scraped and bleeding. But she didn't have time to worry about that now.

"Look, he's over there!" the voices of multiple reporters exclaimed as they pointed to a spot in the distance. Marinette curiously followed their fingers with her eyes and spied a dark figure leaping from one building to the next. Her heart skipped a beat as her eyes fell on him. Chat Noir...he really had come, just as he stated he would in his advance notice.

"Chat Noir!" She cried out his name desperately, but it was impossible for him to hear her over the crowd's exuberant roars. Just as she was about to admit defeat, as though he could sense her presence within the crowd, he looked down and his eyes met hers.

She could hear the blood roaring in her ears as their eyes met, and time seemed to stand still.

"You..." Chat Noir hopped off from the rooftop and landed smoothly onto the ground next to her. "What the hell are you doing here? Didn't I warn you not to get involved!?" He demanded exasperatedly.

She tried to reply, but before the two knew it, they had been surrounded by guards and reporters. They really were everywhere.

"Chat Noir! Is it true that you killed Copycat?" One man asked, pointing his trusted camera at the thief so he could snap photos of him.

"What about that girl? Do you know her? What's your relationship with her?" A woman in her mid-thirties demanded, gesturing to Marinette. Instantly, numerous cameras turned towards her. Not being used to dealing with the overwhelming presence of the paparazzi, Marinette could only stay rooted to the spot. Chat Noir, though, had plenty of experience when it came to interacting with news reporters, thanks to his gigs as Adrien.

"Tch," he muttered. He surveyed the scene with his eyes, calculating their next move in his mind. They had been trapped, and Marinette didn't seem like she could move anytime soon. And they had a bigger problem, too. At this rate, everyone would be watching the news as reporters broadcasted it live, including Hawk Moth. It wouldn't take long for his archenemy to connect the dots, and realize that Marinette was the same girl who had been linked to him before. He had to make it clear to Hawk Moth, once and for all, that she wasn't connected to him. And there was only one way to do so...

He knelt down next to her, brushing a strand of her hair out of the way with a slender finger so he could whisper into her ear, "Do you trust me, little lady?"

Despite everything going on around them, Marinette instantly became hyper-aware of his heated breath as he spoke by her ear. Even though they were surrounded by so many people, at that moment, she felt as though it was just the two of them, alone in their own world.

Marinette could only nod breathlessly in response.

That was all the encouragement the cat burglar needed. Before she could wrap her head around what was happening, he effortlessly scooped her into his arms, bridal style.

"You all back off!" he ordered, his voice firm and controlling despite the crowds gathering around them, watching them with scrutinizing gazes. At that moment, Marinette couldn't help but marvel at how much he sounded like a natural leader...

"I have a hostage! If you don't want any harm to come to her, you'd better not try anything!" he warned coolly. At once, everyone started backing away warily. Taking opportunity of the path that had been cleared for them, he extended his baton and propelled the two away from the square.

Chat Noir quickly located a secret entrance that enabled them to enter the heavily-guarded musée with ease. As they entered the building, he glanced around. There didn't seem to be any security inside, which was surprising considering all the commotion going on on the outside. But still, it wouldn't kill for him to be extra careful today, especially because Marinette was with him. At this thought, he cradled her a little tighter against his chest.

Thanks to the maps he'd studied over a thousand times so he would remember the location of every trap and security camera, he knew that there should be a supply closet coming up ahead. It wasn't the ideal hiding place, but it would have to do for now.

He weaved skillfully between exhibits of Ancient Egyptian jewelry and sarcophagi, taking extra care not to damage anything as he traveled towards his destination with his 'hostage' in tow. Ah, there it was! He made a noise of satisfaction, glad that his hard work had paid off. As soon as he arrived at the closet, he ducked into the small room and locked the wooden door behind them.

"We don't have much time, but we should be safe here for a while," the thief said, setting Marinette down gently. His arms instantly felt cold and empty now that he was no longer carrying her or feeling the warmth that spread from her body, but he tried to dismiss the feeling. As she struggled to stand up, his eyes flickered to her knees, his stomach twisting when he noticed the blood that was still seeping from her scraped knee. "You - you were hurt?"

"This is nothing," she mumbled, finally finding her voice again. She leaned in and gripped his arm, beside herself with worry as she blurted, "I - I know you told me not to get involved, but I had to find you and warn you. I heard that Detective Felix is on your case!" she stated this all in one breath, knowing that they didn't have much time.

"I know," Chat Noir returned, not sounding surprised at all.

Her mouth formed into an "o" in surprise, and she blinked in confusion at his revelation. "Y-You knew already?" She repeated in a daze, still not really believing her ears. She had risked so much to see him, and he had already known! What had been her point in coming here? All she had done had been for nothing.

Now that she had calmed down a little, she realized how much of an idiot she had been for not thinking things through in her desperation to find him. There were probably better methods for her to contact him, too - she could've even passed the message to him through Mr. Fu. Why did she blindly go after him despite all the danger she had put him in?

But still...she couldn't shake off the butterflies that were fluttering in her stomach whenever she got to see him again, no matter what circumstance they'd been thrown into. Just having him by her side made her feel safe, as though they could do anything if they put their heads together.

"A thief has his sources," Chat Noir reminded her, breaking her out of her reverie.

He couldn't bring himself to tell her that he had been aware of Felix's involvement even before this tidbit had been revealed on the news - he had received that information first hand from his cousin himself. While the two weren't particularly close, they still kept in touch throughout the years and kept each other updated on important life events. And so, Adrien had been the first to know about Felix's new case, which just so happened to be his own. He wasn't surprised to hear that, either, considering how talented his cousin was in his detective work. And he wasn't concerned in the least, as this made the game even more exhilarating.

Still, he couldn't help but feel warm, knowing that the first thought she had after finding out was to warn him. He gently ruffled her hair. "But good work coming all this way to warn me, little lady. You have my thanks."

Marinette had such a crestfallen look plastered across her cute face that Chat Noir had a sudden urge to comfort her. She really was too easy to read, like an open book, but that was what made the adorable designer so endearing. His body leaned toward her almost automatically, and he brushed his lips against her left cheek.

At his unexpectedly tender touch, Marinette's face turned redder than a tomato, and she sprang away from him in shock. "W-What was that for?" she squealed, covering her burning cheeks with her hands. Her cheek was still tingling from the lingering warmth of his lips.

"Consider that my thanks for coming all this way to warn me. You always have such priceless reactions that I couldn't help but tease you a bit," he commented casually, his words making her blush even more. "One of these days, I'll end up stealing you because of how cute you are."

Marinette's heart somersaulted in her chest at his teasing words. She couldn't quite believe that he was flirting with her in the middle of his heist, but bantering with him like this made every risk worth it. She was suddenly very glad that she had decided to come. Maybe this was his attempt to make her cheer up, she thought.

"I...I'm sorry I ruined your plans," she apologized, ducking her head guiltily.

"You haven't yet, don't worry," he reassured her, his voice light despite the seriousness of the situation. "Why'd you come?"

She fixed her bluebell eyes on him, unwavering determination flickering in her gaze. "Of course I had to come. I know you...you'd asked me not to get involved. But how can I not be involved, when the person I care about most in this world could be in danger? I...I hate sitting on the sidelines and not being able to do anything when you're in trouble. Let me help you too, Chat Noir!"

She bit her lip as she awaited his reply, praying that her words had reached him. Her breath caught as he returned her gaze with smoldering eyes, the intensity in them burning like flames. "If you put it that way...I can never say no to you, little lady," he relented with a sigh of defeat. Master Fu had been right. He was pushing her away, even when he needed her so much. Perhaps it was time for him to stop running, and give her the chance that they both desperately needed. "I'm sorry for pushing you away before. I...I didn't want you to be placed in danger because of me."

"Well, danger always has a way of finding me, whether you have a say in it or not," she returned with a teasing smile.

Chat Noir tipped his head to one side, an amused grin that matched her own dancing across his handsome features. "If you insist, I'll take you up on your offer."

Her smile brightened. It was almost too dazzling for him to look at. "You...do you really mean it?"

"Yes," He smirked, pulling something off of his right ring finger and gently placing it into her hand. "I think it's time for you to have this back."

Her eyes stretched wide as she studied the object he'd placed into her hands. It was his signature paw print ring, and he'd actually given it back to her! She hugged it tightly to her chest, a shade of light pink tinging her cheeks. She was never going to let it go again. "Thank you for believing in me, Chat Noir. I'll treasure it," she promised.

"I trust that you will," he said, nodding in satisfaction. "And...getting back to business, as we don't have much time. I have a task for you, if you've made your mind to help me out. Do you think you can manage from here on your own, little lady?"

She nodded. She didn't want to weigh him down after all the trouble she had already caused him. If splitting up would help him accomplish his goal, then she would do it. "I can get out on my own."

"Alright, here's the plan. I'll go out there first and distract the guards to take their attention away from this room. You hide here until they leave, so they won't suspect anything. I'd even wait until everything's back to normal, and then sneak out with the tourists. Got it?" Chat Noir continued, knowing that he could trust her to get out safely.

"Got it," Marinette acknowledged, giving him a thumbs up to show that she understood.

"Before I forget," he snapped his fingers and conjured a red handkerchief (which he sometimes used to pull tricks off with) from his hidden pocket, seemingly with magic. He carefully tied it around Marinette's knee to stop her wound from bleeding. "You helped me once before. Let me return the favor this time," he murmured huskily, placing a kiss upon the expertly wrapped handkerchief once he had finished his handiwork.

"I - " Marinette started, but she completely forgot what she was about to say. Instead, she found herself getting lost in those brilliant emerald eyes that shone through the intricate black mask. It was then that she thought, in the back of her mind, that she wouldn't mind being trapped in the closet forever if he was there with her.

All too soon, their moment was broken by the sound of heavy footsteps echoing loudly from outside the closet. "Do you see him? Where'd he go?" They could hear the voices of guards as they ran about the museum, struggling to locate the missing thief.

"Time's up," Chat Noir lamented with a sigh. He straightened up, offering his hand to Marinette to help her stand. She took it hesitantly, blushing as she felt the warmth of his fingers seep through his leather gloves.

She froze, her pulse quickening when he unexpectedly leaned in and tenderly placed a kiss on the top of her head. Why was he showing her so much affection today? She was so used to his harsh tone that it almost felt...odd for him to be so nice to her. And it really wasn't fair that just one touch could elicit so many feelings to boil within her -

In the time it took for her to ponder her turmoiled feelings in her mind, Chat Noir had already disappeared from the room.

She held her breath as she pressed her ear against the door, trying to hear what was going on the other side. At first, everything was silent. But then her eyes widened when she heard a new voice call out, "There you are, Chat Noir."

Marinette didn't recognize the voice, but just hearing it sent chills down her spine. Whoever they were, they sounded especially dangerous.

"Felix? I figured you would be here," Chat Noir was the next to speak. So this person was Felix, Marinette realized with a jolt. She couldn't see him behind the closed door, but he seemed like the type who was skilled at his job - especially if he could figure out Chat Noir's location so easily. "You're the type who wouldn't want to miss out on the fun, aren't you?"

"I wanted to give you my regards personally to thank you for falling straight into my trap," the detective said with a humorless laugh.

"What makes you think I fell into your trap, Felix?" the infamous thief taunted, not sounding worried at all. Marinette knew he was buying time for her, but despite the confident air about him, it didn't help make her concern for him diminish at all. Worry brimmed inside her as she continued to eavesdrop on their conversation, which sounded like it was getting worse and worse. "I knew there was something off when I didn't see any guards in the Musée. You were hoping that I would lower my guard, weren't you?"

"Bingo," Felix praised, his voice a sarcastic drawl. "You're smarter than I thought, but you're not going anywhere this time. I've got you, Chat Noir. Guards!"

"No!" Marinette gasped in horror, but there was nothing she could do for him except to keep herself out of sight.

"Nice try, Felix. But that's where you're wrong. You see, I'll be getting away from here, _and_ I'll be taking this painting with me!" Chat Noir declared boldly. The next thing Marinette knew, there was deafening _bang_! followed by what sounded like a loud explosion. She could hear angry yelling from the guards as they tried to figure out what was going on.

"W-What the - ?" she heard Felix exclaim in surprise.

What on earth was happening on the other side of the door!? Marinette pressed a hand against it, wishing more than anything that she knew what was going on. Was Chat Noir safe? He couldn't have been caught by the guards, could he?

"Damn it. Looks like he got away," Felix grumbled, his words instantly making the young designer feel relieved. "But I won't mess up next time. Let's go."

Marinette waited patiently, not daring to budge until their footsteps faded into the distance. Once she made sure that the cost was clear, she slowly creaked the wooden door open and peered out from the crack.

Now that Chat Noir was gone, the bustling museum had returned to life, and reporters and even tourists were now allowed to reenter the building. She melted into the crowd as she sneaked out of the museum undetected - she couldn't help but think that sneaking around made her feel as though she was a thief, too. The thought was rather thrilling.

The designer drew in a deep breath, grateful to finally be free of the museum and to be able to take in the crisp fresh air. Having completed what she'd set out to do, she should probably get back home before her parents grounded her for life.

Speaking of her parents...her eyes widened in horror when a sudden realization came to her. They had probably seen her face on the news by now, if the reporters had already published the stories on Chat Noir and him taking her as his hostage. Oh boy. She was going to be _so_ much trouble...

She trudged slowly back the way she had come, so lost in thought that she missed the voice that called out to her from the darkness. "Psst!" She whipped her head around, freezing when she saw a dark figure lurking in the nearby alley. Had they been following her!?

"It's me," a familiar voice called out to her slyly.

"Oh, it's just you, Chat Noir," she said, her shoulders slumping in relief as she got a good look of the figure for the first time. "You scared me! I thought you were some dangerous criminal - "

"I _am_ a dangerous criminal," he drawled, giving her a playful wink.

"That's besides the point," She huffed, blushing. "I thought you'd left already, why are you still here?"

"You should sort out your priorities, little lady," Chat Noir tsked with a wry laugh, waving a finger disapprovingly at her. "Normally, people would be concerned if they were hanging out with a dangerous criminal like me. Yet you're not scared at all."

Marinette folded her arms across her chest, unimpressed. "Didn't we already talk about this? I'm not scared of you, Chat Noir. I trust you. And there's no way that you're a killer, so there." She stuck her tongue out at him to add affect.

The thief chortled with laughter, clearly amused by her response. She decided that she liked the sound of his laugh. She felt warm, knowing that she was the one who made him laugh like this. "Fine, you win this one. I wanted to make sure that you got out alright," he responded to her previous question. "The guards didn't give you too much trouble, did they?"

She shook her head and grinned back at him. "Nope! As you can see, I made it out in one piece!"

"You'll become a fine thief yourself in no time, little lady," Chat Noir teased.

"No way! One thief is enough for the both of us, thanks," she retorted, but she couldn't help but giggle. She frowned when she noticed that he wasn't carrying the stolen painting with him, as she had expected. "Huh? What happened to that painting?"

"Oh, that painting? I returned it," he shrugged casually. "I only nicked it to send Felix and Hawk Moth a message. I told you that I have a plan, didn't I? They won't catch me that easily, don't you worry."

She couldn't tell whether he was trying to reassure her or himself, but she didn't dare ask. "If you say so," she murmured.

Just then, her phone started vibrating. She winced when she saw the alarming number of messages that had popped up on her screen from her family and Alya. They had definitely heard the news about her being taken hostage by now, she thought with an inward groan. "Crap, look at the time! I gotta go," she said reluctantly. But the truth was that she didn't want to leave. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to Chat Noir just yet.

"I suppose I can take a detour," Chat Noir mused, echoing her thoughts. He wasn't ready to leave her, either. "Want a lift back, little lady?"

"Yes, I'd love one!" she beamed at him gratefully, instantly feeling happy again.

He knelt down on one knee, offering his broad back to her. She sucked in a breath when she realized that he was about to give her a piggyback ride. "Hop on."

After securing his grip on her, he pounced onto the rooftop of the closest building, almost as though he was soaring through the sky. As Chat Noir jumped from one building to the next, Marinette pressed her cheek against his warm back, deep in thought.

She didn't know what the future would bring, or what the enemies that they would be facing would be like, but she didn't want to dwell on that now. Instead, she relished in the little moments that she shared with him, before their peaceful everyday would be shattered by a horrid villain.

Her heart ached. If only time could freeze, so they could stay in this moment forever.

If only...

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much for all of your wonderful reviews and support! Hope you'll like the Marichat moments in this chapter as much as I liked writing them~ it's about time for him to stop pushing her away xD

(I always love adding references from the ML episodes, hehe. The part where Chat Noir steals a random painting is another nod to the Copycat episode xD of course he wouldn't be able to steal from the Louvre so easily in real life :P )

Leave a review and let me know what you think? :) A macaron for your thoughts? :P

Next chapter preview _\- Marinette starts her training with Adrien, and prepares for her upcoming mission at the bar. _


	17. Chapter 17

**_The Thief Returns? _**

_Breaking news! Chat Noir, the prime suspect in the Copycat case, has shocked the world by stealing a famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci from the Louvre! What's more, he reportedly took a girl hostage as part of his ploy to escape from the police. Who is this girl, and what's her relationship with him? We promise to get to the bottom of this mystery once and for all!_

* * *

"Here we are, little lady," Chat Noir announced good-naturedly as he landed on Marinette's quaint balcony, snapping the dazed girl out of her daydream.

Marinette let out a breath of relief as she felt her feet touch the ground - she didn't think she would ever get used to heights. "Thank you, Chat Noir," she murmured, lowering her head in appreciation. She was grateful to him not just for bringing her home - she was so very glad that he had accepted her again, instead of pushing her away. That meant more than the world to her.

She pressed his ring tightly against her chest, vowing to never let it go again.

"I'll see ya around, _Purr_incess. Try not to get into trouble." He gave her a two-finger salut, lengthening his baton with his other hand at the same time. In the blink of an eye, the skilled thief seemingly vanished from the balcony, leaving Marinette alone to her devices.

The young designer shook her head bemusedly as she watched him leave. She couldn't quite believe he had called her princess, and had even thrown in a cat pun at that. But that was one thing she liked about him, how he could lighten the atmosphere with his teasing words no matter how serious the situation was.

Feeling giddy like a schoolgirl enamored by her first crush, Marinette had a little skip in her step as she swung open the wooden trapdoor and climbed down into her cozy attic bedroom. After having too much excitement for one day, she felt completely exhausted and wanted nothing more than to collapse into her soft and fluffy bed, but she knew she had to face her parents sooner than later. And she would rather do it now and get it over with.

Marinette exited her bedroom and descended the staircase, each step leading her closer to doom. She swallowed as she pushed the door that led to the bakery open, mentally bracing herself for her parents' speech that was no doubt incoming.

Just as she had suspected, Tom and Sabine were both standing in the kitchen, wearing matching stern gazes as she walked into the room.

"MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG!" Her papa roared, his angry tone making her wince. Uh-oh. As soon as they used her full name, she knew she was in big, big trouble. "Do you have anything to say about a certain news report we happened to see this afternoon?"

"Er...well...that is..." Marinette stammered, nervously toying a strand of her dark blue hair with her hands and not knowing where to start. She didn't think anything she said would help make the situation better. Perhaps it would be best if she didn't say anything at all...She clamped her mouth shut, waiting for her parents to speak first.

"Imagine our surprise when our daughter appeared on the news!" Her maman added, her grey eyes stretched wide with worry.

"I..." Marinette trailed off when unexpectedly, her parents rushed forward to hug her, squeezing her so tightly that her breath was knocked out of her lungs. "Oof! C-Can't breath!" she gasped as she was enveloped by her papa and maman's comforting warmth.

Sabine kissed her on the top of her head. "We were so worried, Marinette! Are you okay? Did Chat Noir hurt you? What happened after he took you away?"

She blinked at her parents, surprised that they were more concerned than angry. "N-No! Chat Noir didn't hurt me at all. He was a perfect gentleman," she reassured them, her cheeks heating as she recalled just how nicely he had treated her. Saying that he had been just nice was a severe understatement. As she imagined how intense his gaze had been when he had promised he wouldn't push her away, her blush deepened and spread all the way to the tips of her ears.

"He...he just needed to use me as a diversion to escape from the guards. But then he let me go without doing anything. Really," she insisted when her parents shot her dubious looks. At least they hadn't noticed that she was closer to Chat Noir than one would think, she reassured herself with a sigh.

"Are you sure you're alright? You're not hurt anywhere?" Her father demanded, carefully inspecting her with his eyes as though she was a fragile doll that would break at the slightest touch.

Marinette inclined her head. "Yes, Papa! I'm perfectly fine!" she assuaged him, smiling brightly to show her parents that she truly was okay. In fact, she had never felt happier, feeling like she was on cloud nine. Ugh, she really couldn't get Chat Noir out of her mind.

"But he's that thief, Chat Noir," Tom muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Wasn't he the culprit in that case with...what was his name?"

"Copycat," she responded promptly. Of course her parents would've heard that on the news, she realized with an inward groan. Convincing them was going to be harder than she had hoped. What could she say that would make them believe her...? "But I don't believe he's the one who killed that criminal! Chat Noir...he's a good person." She couldn't stop a fond smile from tugging at the corners of her lips as she defended him, which she hurriedly hid behind her hand.

"Hmm. It almost sounds like you know him personally," Sabine remarked, tipping her head to one side as she studied her daughter thoughtfully.

Marinette gulped, looking everywhere in the room except into her maman's eyes. She felt as though the wise woman could see straight through her. She really couldn't hide anything from her parents, could she?

"No! I mean, just from the way he treated me when he held me hostage. When he noticed that I had tripped and scraped my knee - which wasn't his fault either! - he even bandaged my wound," she explained, fingering the handkerchief that Chat Noir had wrapped expertly around her knee. She could almost feel the lingering warmth from his hand on it. At least what she had said was partially true, she thought to herself. She couldn't very well just tell her parents that she did know him, and rather well at that! She would never hear the end of it if she did...

"Did he really?" her maman asked, smiling slightly.

Tom still didn't seem like he trusted the thief. "He wasn't the one who got you hurt though, was he?" he asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow at his daughter.

"No, not at all!" Marinette denied at once. "And besides, he had so many opportunities to hurt me, but he let me go, safe and sound." This much was true. Even when she had first met him as a little girl, she hadn't been afraid of him because he hadn't done anything to hurt her. She knew, even then, that he was a good person she could place her trust in. Not to mention how he had kept his promise to protect her, even after all those years. This was something only someone with a strong moral sense would do. She felt warm, just thinking about him.

"Well...You do have a point. And we know that you are a good judge of character. We'll trust your decision," Sabine conceded finally, wordlessly signaling her husband to do the same. "But please be careful, sweetie. We don't know what we would do if anything happened to our dear daughter..." she shuddered at the thought, her normally kind gaze filled with concern.

"I will!" Marinette promised solemnly. "I...I'm sorry for making you guys worry," she added, unable to hide the guilt in her voice.

Sabine shook her head. "It's okay, sweetie. As long as you know to be extra careful next time. We're just grateful that nothing horrible happened to you..." she trailed off, not wanting to finish the awful thought.

"C-Can I go back to my room?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course," her maman agreed warmly. "You must be tired after what happened. Do take it easy for the rest of today."

"Thank you, oh, thank you!" She gave her parents another quick hug before she returned to her room, feeling as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

Plagg the kitten padded over to her side, happily rubbing his little body against her leg. "Plagg!" she cooed to the adorable black kitty in greeting. "Thank goodness that went better than I expected..."

She smiled as she stroked his fur, her lips tugging into a frown when her fingers brushed against what felt like a piece of paper tucked behind his collar. She pulled out the note and opened it, gasping as she scanned its contents.

In intricate handwriting, the words _Meet me tomorrow in the school gym at 5PM. - A.A. _had been scribbled on the scrap of paper. A.A...it was a note from Adrien! Her eyes widened as realization dawned on her. But when had the note gotten here? She definitely didn't remember ever letting Plagg outside...

She opened the trapdoor that led to her balcony in one swift motion and poked her head outside, searching for what, she did not know. But everything looked perfectly normal - she didn't notice anything different, or see any suspicious figures loitering on her balcony. So how had the note ended up in Plagg's collar?

She shrugged her shoulders, giving up on finding an answer. She was too tired to try and think right now, anyway. She made up her mind to ask Adrien about it the next day.

That was the last thought that lingered on her mind before she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

School passed in a blur the following day.

Marinette found herself somehow becoming a celebrity overnight, thanks to her classmates recognizing her on a certain news report from the previous day. People wouldn't stop pressing her for questions, though she realized wryly that they were mostly just crazy Chat Noir fangirls asking whether he looked just as hot in person compared to his photos. She refused to answer that one.

She sighed for the umpteenth time as she thought back to what happened earlier that morning.

"Wow, girl. You're so lucky to have met Chat Noir!" Alya had gushed, her hazel eyes brightening as soon as she spotted the other girl. She had been acting quite like a fangirl herself, now that Marinette thought about it. "Oh, I'm _so_ jealous! I would've gotten the biggest scoop for my blog if I had been there! Tell me, girl! What was he like, eh?"

"Well...he was gorgeous," she had mumbled dreamily before coming back to her senses and shaking herself out of her daze. "N-No! I mean, it was k-kind of scary to be surrounded by police. But he was nice to me!" She wanted to hide in a hole and die of embarrassment. She couldn't believe she had almost revealed her true feelings to Alya. Her best friend could be especially persuasive when she wanted to be. It truly was a dangerous skill for someone to possess...

"Uh-huh," Alya had snorted, rolling her eyes. She clearly didn't believe Marinette's story. "There's more to it, isn't there? Wait a minute! Don't tell me he's the guy you've been crushing on," she realized, her eyes glowing like the moon.

"W-What are you talking about? You know my crush is A-Adrien," Marinette had protested quickly. She did have a crush on both guys, but she still hadn't had time to figure out her feelings for them both. But the last thing she was going to do was tell Alya about it!

Thankfully, class had started then, sparing her from having to answer any more embarrassing questions. Marinette had never been more grateful to see Madame Bustier walk into the room than at that moment.

And now, school had finally ended for the day, which also meant that it was time for her to meet Adrien in the gym.

Marinette jumped up from her desk as soon as the bell rang, having been looking forward to the lesson all day. She told her best friend to head home without her, making an excuse that she had to catch up on some work at school before she hurried toward the spacious school gym. It was the perfect place to practice self defense, and she was glad that that was the location Adrien had selected for their lesson. Perhaps he missed his alma mater and was looking for an excuse to come back and visit...

Marinette sucked in a breath when she spotted said model sitting on a bench, wearing a pair of thick-rimmed sunglasses and a black hat that completely covered his gorgeous blond hair. Even though he was under disguise, he looked perfect like aways. He was too busy reading a thick-looking book to see her approach him hesitantly.

"Hi, A-Adrien! You look good - no, I mean - it's good to see you!" She stuttered, instantly cursing herself for always getting so tongue-tied around him. He looked up from the book he was reading and waved her over. She dropped her pink backpack onto the floor and joined him on the bench, making sure to keep some distance between them. She didn't think her heart could take it if she sat too close...

"Hi, Marinette, nice to see you too! I'm guessing that you saw my note?" He asked cheerfully. She thanked the gods that he didn't seem to mind her slip up.

"Yes, thank you for letting me know! How did it end up with Plagg anyway?" She couldn't help asking, recalling her confusion upon discovering the note last night.

Adrien winked at her, the action turning her insides into mush. "No big. I asked a friend for a favor," he said in way of an explanation, but his words only made the designer even more confused.

She wondered who this friend was, but he didn't give her time to dwell on it. Instead, he jumped straight into the lesson. "So, I was thinking what I should teach you," he began thoughtfully, "and perhaps some basic self defense would be best. I can show you some techniques that can help you escape in case you ever get into a tight spot. But the most important thing to remember is to never seek to engage in battle. Promise me that even if someone threatens you or tries to fight you, get away from them as fast as you can and call for help. Got it?"

"I promise," she breathed, understanding his point. It was crucial to run away rather than stay and fight, because you never knew how dangerous your opponent was going to be.

She nodded for him to go on, eagerly absorbing the information he was sharing. As she listened to him, she couldn't stop herself from marveling at his teaching skills. She felt she could understand anything and everything if he was the one teaching her...

"For someone with a small frame like yourself, it's important to throw as much of your weight into the attack as you can. I think the best approach would be for you to use your shoulders, as you can easily shift your weight into them. We can start with some basic stances, and then go into detail from there?" he suggested, rubbing the back of his neck absentmindedly with his right hand. Marinette noted that he had a habit of doing this whenever he was nervous, and she found it rather endearing.

"Sure!" she agreed, jumping to her feet. The sudden movement made her head spin, and it took a second before she steadied herself.

"You're very eager to learn," Adrien commented with a small smile. He didn't say it out loud, but he found her eagerness adorable. That was what he liked so much about her, how she always did her best no matter what situation she found herself in.

She blushed at his compliment. "Of course I am! I...I don't want to be a burden on him..."

"Oh? Who do you mean by 'him'?" the model asked curiously, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"N-No one!" she squeaked immediately, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "Er, I just want to help a friend. That's all."

"Sure, sure," he said, his emerald eyes sparkling as though he knew exactly what she was talking about. But there was no way Adrien could know about her relationship with a certain thief, right?

Mystified, she dismissed the thought as he continued the lesson. Soon, Marinette was too engrossed by what Adrien was teaching her to think about anything else. She took in every word, and followed his each and every move carefully.

By the end of the lesson, her muscles were aching and she was sweating heavily, but she felt she had learned so much from Adrien even though it had only been a short amount of time. He had shown her a variety of stances and basic punches, and even taught her how to throw her shoulder into her opponent to catch them off guard. These were definitely skills she could use should Hawk Moth ever send someone after her...not that she ever wanted to face him again!

Adrien checked the time, and made a face. "Shoot, I forgot the time! I have a photoshoot I should be getting to. Sorry this was all the time we had today," he apologized, grabbing his book from the bench and throwing his jacket over his shoulder.

"Don't worry about that at all! I know you're probably busy, but you still took time out of your schedule to help me. Thank you so much for teaching me!" Marinette responded gratefully. She hesitated, just for a moment, before adding shyly, "Y-You're a good teacher."

Was it her imagination, or did his cheeks redden ever-so-slightly? "You're a good student, Marinette! Oh, by the way - " he pulled something out of his jeans' pocket and handed it to her.

Marinette stared at the small, white card he'd placed into her hands, her brain not registering what it was until she peered closer at it. Her mouth dropped open in surprise. It was his business card! She couldn't believe he was giving her his contact information...

"This way I won't have to go through Plagg to send you a message next time," he explained with a grin, his thoughtfulness making Marinette's insides melt. "Make sure to practice when you can!"

"I will!"

He beamed at her, his smile shining brighter than a million suns, before he quickly turned and jogged towards the school entrance. Marinette picked up her backpack and followed more slowly after him, lost in her own thoughts.

She rubbed her hands together, feeling a little nervous but excited at the same time as she thought of her upcoming mission. She could finally do something to help Chat Noir, instead of always waiting for him to be the one to help her. She wasn't going to let him down.

"Just you wait, Hawk Moth," she vowed to herself. "We'll get you back for everything you've done to Chat Noir!"

She quickened her pace on her way home, eager to finish putting together the gorgeous ladybug outfit that she was designing for her mission...

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much again for all of your wonderful reviews and support, and hope you're all staying safe! I apologize for the delay, I've been a little busy and I was trying to catch up with some long anime (cough One Piece cough). But now I'm back!

The first part of this chapter is fitting for Father's Day, maybe? XD Happy Father's Day!

Hope you liked this chapter! Leave a review and let me know what you think? :) A macaron for your thoughts? :P

Next chapter preview _\- Marinette walked into the bar - (sorry I had to, you know that was coming right? XD) Marinette goes on her mission to the bar, but things don't exactly go according to plan..._


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